


Addiction and Attachment

by eevaeon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Online Dating, Angst, Depression, Divorce, First Crush, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Games, Internet, M/M, MMORPGs, Online Dating, Online Friendship, Online Relationship, Online Romance, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self-Indulgent, Slow Build, Strangers, Strangers to Lovers, Video & Computer Games, in this fic i write preteens as not preteens lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-26 11:50:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 40,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7573015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eevaeon/pseuds/eevaeon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroo and Kenma are in middle school when they start playing Fourth World, a new and popular fantasy MMORPG.</p><p>This is a story about two boys, online games, and fumbling through teenagehood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I used to be obsessed with online games. Moreso other types now, but I went through a period of trying every MMORPG that was out. I still play Guild Wars 2 a lot, as it's my favorite, so a lot of this story is based off of my experiences from that. 
> 
> Fourth World is a fictional MMORPG which I made up purely for this fic, though if people enjoy this fic then I will probably write other fics with Fourth World in them because I love online game relationship stories and you should too. What I'm trying to say is that Fourth World is made up and I've kind of mixed and mashed a lot of different things from other MMORPGs into it. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story (what I have of it so far) :)
> 
> Follow me on tumblr at eevaeon (http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/) to know when I update and for a lot of kuroken drawings <3

Kuroo squinted at his screen with incredulous disbelief. His screen was grey, and his character was sprawled out dead surrounded by four, bulky orcs with only a 100 health points or less each. Kuroo was, to say the least, frustrated.

 

He’d been attempting to craft a special class armor for his character for about three weeks now. It was a non-tradeable and non-sellable set and could only be obtained through crafting or gems, which cost real life money. Kuroo was not about to ask his mother for 2500 yen to spend on an online game. He could practically see her narrowing her eyes at him in scrutiny and then sharply telling him he should spend game time studying. Alternatively, he could also very well see her laughing in his face as he explained that he essentially wanted his character to look cooler, raised stats aside. 

 

So, crafting it was.

 

Throughout the weeks he had gathered shimmering sparkles from the rainbow in Maeldhane, he had grinded for 150 mermaid tears, he had collected what seemed like a million vials of dark unicorn blood. He had spent hours crafting insignificant, useless items to raise his crafting level and open new recipes. Finally, he had every crafting component necessary save one. 

 

He had looked on the trading post, but the item in question was extremely useful, and was necessary for a good number of high level recipes. Only two people were selling the item and the lowest price was 140 gold. Kuroo had exactly 19 gold, 82 silver, and 4 copper in his bank account and it had taken him almost a month to amass that much wealth. So, the only option was to get it himself.

 

Unfortunately, that one material could only be found in a chest on a high up ledge in Bahnrek Hills, a level 60-70 area. 

 

In order to get to the ledge, the player had to first navigate and find the hidden entrance to the underground part of Bahnrek Hills. This spot wasn’t particularly difficult to find, especially with Google, but it did take a bit of walking as the nearest portal was quite a bit away and Kuroo didn’t own a mount. 

 

From there, the player had to walk a tunnel, fighting through the hostile creatures which inhabited the place. This part wasn’t hard either. Normally Kuroo just downed speed and health boost potions and raced through the tunnel like some demonic, coked up cheetah. 

 

Once at the end of the tunnel, the player had to parkour up and over a swamp and that would bring him or her to a rocky platform where six beefy orcs awaited. Past the platform was another small section of parkour to reach the chest holding the ultra special, extra rare, super useful crafting item: Leaf Dust. 

 

Kuroo had spent ages figuring out the right parkour path to take, falling hundreds of times into the murky swamp infested with humongous, murderous mosquitos, and it had taken equally as long to actually reach the rocky platform. He sucked at in-game parkour. 

 

However, the orcs were by far the worst part. Kuroo had been forced to level up his character four times and enchant his current armor just so he wouldn’t die instantly. He was sure they were bugged. How else were they so strong and resilient?

 

Over and over he died to the mobs, but this time he had thought that he was ready. He had stronger armor, higher level skills, and oh so many potions. He had managed to kill two of them, and he had gotten so, so close to killing the other four. He really thought he was going to be able to defeat them. The green bars representing their health points seemed to mock him. It was just depressing to work so hard and get so close only to die two hits away from winning. He was going to have to level up his character a couple more times if he wanted to get the stupid Leaf Dust and then it’d be more time spent in this hell hole of a place.  

 

Kuroo was about to hit the respawn button when another character model hopped up onto the rocky platform.

 

It was a small male elf with slanted, golden eyes and blonde hair. The elf’s build was slim and short. He was also dressed in the simplest, most basic and plain armor Kuroo had ever seen in the game. Kuroo hadn’t even seen new players wearing such boring, weak-looking armor before. It was so unbelievably unassuming, that Kuroo couldn’t tell anything at all from it. Usually armor could reveal at the very least what class the player was, but this was so horrifically lacking it could be anything.

 

Kuroo wondered if the character had gotten there by accident before remembering his hours of sweat and tears poured into this stupid area.

 

It was a huge shock when the player was quick to demolish the four orcs whose health had risen back to full in the time between Kuroo’s own death and the new player’s arrival. And then, wonders of wonders, the character came over and revived Kuroo’s own model. It took a couple of seconds, but soon Kuroo’s soldier was alive and well, regenerating the last of his health easily. The other character started the remaining parkour and Kuroo was quick to follow. The two hopped up to the chest to pick up the loot before Kuroo remembered to say thanks. 

 

**kurokat:** omg thank you so much

**kurokat:** you’re my savior i’ve been spending

**kurokat:** like a week trying to get this dumb shit

**kurokat:** i was gonna cry loooool

**kurokat:** before you came i killed the other 2 and

**kurokat:** i got the other four down to like 100 health each before i died

**kurokat:** 100 HEALTH

 

Kuroo rapidly typed into the chat box and waited eagerly for a response. After a little bit, Kuroo worried that he had accidentally disconnected or annoyed the other player or something. Maybe the other player just wasn’t into talking. Kuroo could respect that.

 

**applepi:** lol

 

Kuroo snorted. His rescuer was a regular Hemingway.

 

**kurokat:** you’re so strong lol

**kurokat:** what class are you?

**applepi:** cleric. mage type healer focus. 

**kurokat:** ??? you’re a cleric and you do that much dmg?

**applepi:** yeah. most of my spells can heal or buff but they can also do dmg

**applepi:** most of it is aoe too so

**applepi:** if i set it up and play it right i can solo most quests 

**kurokat:** what do you do if you can’t finish a quest

**applepi:** i just try to find someone to come with me

**applepi:** uh actually 

**kurokat:** ?

**applepi:** you’re a warrior type right

**kurokat:** yeah, but i’m more tanky

**kurokat:** i don’t have a ton of dmg

**applepi:** that’s fine i can work with that. i need someone to come with me into ternemahr forest

**applepi:** it’s the only place in my level range to get enchanted wood chips

**kurokat:** yeah i’d be down. i just need to get to a crafting center somewhere

**kurokat:** since i got the dust thx to you i cna finally make my armor 

**applepi:** that’s fine. i have all day. we can stop by beneedre’s town square on the way

**applepi:** there’s an armor craft stand there

**kurokat:** sounds good :) lead the way!

 

Kuroo grinned to himself. Whoever applepi was, he was good at the game and he would be a tremendous help. They chatted a bit as they traveled to Ternemahr Forest and Kuroo finally crafted his armor, which had ridiculously high defense stats as well as bonus damage. His character also looked damn good, which in Kuroo’s book trumped any stats. 

 

The two spent the entirety of Saturday playing Fourth World, completing quests and gathering rare crafting items together. Kuroo had never had so much fun with the game before. 

 

**applepi:** i’m actually surprised you managed to get so far without a duo partner

**kurokat:** what do you mean

**applepi:** usually tank players don’t have enough damage on their own

**applepi:** so they need someone else who is either high damage or

**applepi:** someone who has healing capability to keep you alive long enough

**kurokat:** yeah idk how i managed either lol just tried till i got it 

**kurokat:** but hey now i have you to help :D 

**applepi:** mm

**kurokat:** i mean, if you don’t mind playing with me lol

**applepi:** lol playing with you is fine

**applepi:** but i have school on weekdays so i usually only spend

**applepi:** an hour or two maximum on weekdays

**applepi:** and that’s only if there isn’t another game i want to play

**kurokat:** oh yeah totally lol

**kurokat:** i’m not a total neet i don’t spend my life on this game or anything 

**kurokat:** i have school too and i have volleyball practice almost everyday lol

**kurokat:** but if you’re on, i’d like to play with you

**applepi:** yeah that’d be nice 

 

Kuroo inwardly rejoiced. His new friend had been right; Kuroo’s character didn’t have a lot of damage and that made leveling up difficult. He couldn’t quickly grind the monsters that gave off the most experience or gold. It didn’t matter if he had a lot of health, health regen, and other defense stats if he didn’t have enough damage to kill the mob before it killed him. 

 

With applepi however, they did just enough damage and applepi could heal him up so they had as much time as they needed to kill whatever they faced. Besides a healer type, Kuroo also learned that applepi was an intellectual kind of player. Most players, including himself, just ran at the mobs and button-mashed, hoping to come out on top.

 

However, whenever the two started a quest or sought out an item, applepi came up with plans. He’d direct Kuroo where to go, when to start fighting, when to draw aggro, when to let him take the aggro, etc. Kuroo had never completed quests and farmed so efficiently. 

 

Besides all that, applepi was fun. He wasn’t overly dramatic or talkative in chat, as so many players were. In fact, he barely chatted unless he had to. However, every now and then he would crack a joke or make a sarcastic comment out of the blue.

 

Kuroo could talk as much or as little as he wanted, and that was nice. He knew that applepi, whoever he was, was out there and read everything he typed. 

 

The game and applepi quickly became his best method of relaxation. 

 

For the first week or two of their partnership, they didn’t play that much together besides the weekends. Kuroo didn’t want to bother applepi or seem too eager by asking what his schedule was or if they should set up a playing time. The result of this would be that they would always just barely miss each other, or only catch the other online at the tail end of one of their playing sessions.

 

**applepi:** sorry i have to get off soon 

**kurokat:** aw man i just got online what shit luck lol 

**applepi:** i can play maybe half an hour more but i really have to do hw

**kurokat:** yeah same. i’ll take what i can get tho let’s play :) 

 

After four or five instances of this happening, Kuroo noticed that applepi was slowly able to spend more and more time online with him during weekdays.

 

**kurokat:** you’re able to play more lately :) 

**applepi:** yeah 

**kurokat:** did something change

**applepi:** yeah

**kurokat:** are you gonna tell me lol 

**applepi:** no 

**kurokat:** fair enough lol 

 

Kuroo couldn’t help but think that maybe applepi was waiting for him to get online to play. 

 

They quickly settled into a routine and days of playtime together turned into weeks turned into months. Kuroo realized that his life consisted of school, volleyball, and Fourth World almost exclusively. 

 

**kurokat:** oh my god i’m a nerd

**applepi:** ? you just realized

**kurokat:** yes!!! i used to be so cool

**applepi:** i doubt it

**kurokat:** hey :( i’ll have you know that i was the coolest cat

**applepi:** cool people don’t say they were the coolest cat

**kurokat:** well i am and i do  

**applepi:** if that’s what you need to tell yourself

**applepi:** to sleep at night

 

Kuroo smiled. Every time that applepi teased him, he felt startlingly happy. Kuroo liked to think it meant that the other boy was becoming more and more comfortable with him. Kuroo wasn’t ashamed to admit that applepi was quickly becoming one of his best friends. He hoped that applepi felt the same way about him. 

 

**kurokat:** so what do you do when you’re not playing games

**applepi:** school

**kurokat:** ok outside of school

**applepi:** sleep

**kurokat:** lol what about hobbies or fun stuff 

**applepi:** playing games

**kurokat:** do you ever hang out with friends

**applepi:** …

**applepi:** i don’t really have a lot of friends irl honestly

**kurokat:** o rly? why not

**applepi:** i don’t like to stand out really idk

**kurokat:** awwww you’re shy? that’s cute

**applepi:** shut up

**kurokat:** wait so does this mean i’m your only friend? 

**applepi:** i have two other friends you egotist 

**kurokat:** lol sorry 

**applepi:** they both go to diff schools tho so i guess i talk to you

**applepi:** the most

**kurokat:** we’re totally besties 

**applepi:** shut up

 

Kuroo couldn’t help but feel happy about that. He had a lot of friends from class and volleyball, but he didn’t really talk to them a whole bunch outside of school or club related activities. Besides applepi, he really only had a couple of close friends himself. 

  
For now, he was content to just log in to Fourth World and play with this boy whose name he didn’t even know for hours on end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i had fucked up with the notes thing
> 
> i had meant to put this note for just chapter 1 whoops
> 
> anyways i made a tumblr finally and am using it to reblog anime shit but also for my accompanying art for my fanfiction
> 
> here's kuroo and kenma's avatars: http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148060417684/kuroo-and-kenmas-avatars-for-my-fiction-titled


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so bad at writing; I hate how this chapter went. I hope you don't find it too horrendous :/ Enjoy!

Thursday night found Kuroo finishing up playing with applepi and pulling out his homework when his phone lit up with message notifications.

 

 **Bokuto Koutarou:**!!!!!!!!!11!!11!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!1!!!111!

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** bro i need u

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** my bro my best friend my soul my one and only my heart plz

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** bro

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** are you ok bro

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** no i’m literally dead

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** i don’t think literally means what you think it does lol

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** what’s up?

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** not over fb let’s meet up

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** we haven’t hung out in ages

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** oh true. it’s been a couple of months hasn’t it

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** i knooooowwww why has it been so long i miss u

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** i missed you too bro

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** <3 <3 <3

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** <3 <3 <3

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** burgers at 2 on sat ok

 **Bokuto Koutarou:** ok see ya

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** see ya

 

Kuroo closed the chat window and brought up Fourth World.

 

 **kurokat:** can’t play saturday afternoon meeting up with a friend

 **applepi:** mm k

 **kurokat:** don’t be too lonely without me :3

 **applepi:** you wish

 **applepi:** actually i’m meeting a friend saturday too

 **kurokat:** o rly? thought i was your only friend ;D

 **applepi:** shut up

 **kurokat:** do you just play games irl together or something lol

 **applepi:** no he mentioned shopping but i don’t remember what for

 **applepi:** so we’ll do that and eat and then idk

 **kurokat:** sounds fun

 **applepi:** i guess

 **kurokat:** lol i need a small vial of orc blood

 **kurokat:** the blue kind

 **applepi:** blue skin orc mobs?

 **kurokat:** yeah

 **applepi:** let’s go to lominesque lake then

 **kurokat:** alright

 

Saturday morning, Kuroo was excited to wake up and play Fourth World when he remembered he had other plans. He groaned a little bit, but then felt bad. It would be fun to see Bokuto. He loved Bokuto. He wanted to play with applepi though.

 

Kuroo had a little more time to think about playing Fourth World with applepi once he arrived at their meeting place and it was apparent that Bokuto was running late. Kuroo sighed and grabbed a table, ordering his food before sitting down to wait on his friend. Childishly, he thought to himself that applepi didn’t make him wait.

 

“Bro!” Bokuto shouted as soon as he saw his friend. At the sound of Bokuto’s loud, jubilant voice, all of Kuroo’s grumblings fell away and were replaced with the happiness of seeing a friend. Kuroo swiveled in his seat to grin widely at the approaching figure.

 

“Bro!” Kuroo hollered back. The other customers stared at the two teenagers and the two quieted down abashadly. Bokuto gestured towards the counter, shuffling up to order after Kuroo nodded his understanding. Then the silver-haired boy was bounding towards his table, receipt in hand. Kuroo got up as the other reached his booth to hug him tightly and only once they had hugged their hearts out, did Bokuto sit down across from his friend.

 

“So, what’s up?” Bokuto asked, smiling widely in natural Bokuto fashion. Although he seemed his normal, upbeat self, Kuroo could tell that he was a little restless.

 

“I thought we were here to talk about what’s up with you?” Kuroo returned pointedly. Wonder of wonders, Bokuto blushed. Kuroo raised an eyebrow as he watched his friend shift in his seat and glance to the side. His face was redder than summer watermelon. Kuroo smirked before slyly remarking, “Oh, I see.”

 

“He’s so beautiful, Kuroo,” Bokuto choked out eventually.

 

“Oooh? Do tell,” Kuroo purred, resting his chin on his hands and tilting his head. Before Bokuto could begin talking though, a girl walked over with their food, setting it down.

 

They stared at the tray, laden with food. Two, juicy, double cheeseburgers with the works with mounds of fries glistened at them alongside creamy, chocolate milkshakes.

 

“Eat first, talk after,” Bokuto finally declared, eyeing his food. Kuroo didn’t even bother wasting breath to voice his agreement and picked up his own burger to bite in. The savory, succulent flavors of meat, cheese, and various vegetables flooded his tastebuds and for the next ten minutes, the only sounds in their general vicinity were chewing and slurping noises. Then there was no more food left and they were left to just sip on their creamy shakes.

 

“So? Spill,” Kuroo drawled before obnoxiously sucking his straw. He brought up his left hand to look at his nails, flipping his hand back and forth for maximum mimicry. Bokuto let out a short chuckle at the sight before going back to nervously fidgeting in his seat, cheeks rosy with embarrassment. Kuroo almost cooed at the sight; Bokuto was such a darling.  

 

“He’s a year younger than me,” Bokuto started with, before drifting into silence and more twitching. Kuroo rolled his eyes.

 

“And?” Kuroo demanded. “I want every last detail down to how many hairs he has on his head.”

 

“Dude, I’m so far gone that I could almost tell you that,” Bokuto sighed dreamily before opening his mouth to give Kuroo what he wanted. “I ran into him in the hallway and we both fell-”

 

“Wait, you literally ran into him?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, it wasn’t my finest moment. I don’t even remember why I was running down the hallway like that in the first place but I apologized to him a lot and he’s so beautiful and he has the most gorgeous eyes and hair and I wanted to take him to the nurse’s office but he said he was fine and I was worried he was mad but he smiled at me at the end!” Bokuto rambled out, drawing in a sharp breath at the end. Another dreamy sigh. “His smile is perfect.”

 

“So, did you get his name?”

 

“No,” Bokuto sighed dejectedly. “I didn’t know what to say or do after he said he didn’t need the nurse. By the time I could talk he had already said it was fine and left.”

 

“Oh man, you’ve got it bad,” Kuroo frowned sympathetically. Bokuto groaned and nodded before dropping his head into his hands. Kuroo could practically see a dark cloud gathering over his friend’s head and hastily said, “I’m sure you’ll get to talk to him soon though. You go to the same school so there’ll be other opportunities and you’ll sweep him off his feet, bro.”

 

“Bro,” Bokuto warbled out with a sentimental grin. Kuroo winked in response and that was that. Love talk over, the two boys left the fast food restaurant to walk around and talk.

 

“So, what’ve you been up to?” Kuroo asked conversationally.

 

“Just volleyball and school mostly. I don’t have a ton of free time either cause I have to babysit my niece a lot recently,” Bokuto responded. “What about you?”

 

“Pretty much the same, minus the babysitting. I happen to have a lot of free time,” Kuroo bragged. “I’ve been playing this computer game mostly though.”

 

“Oh my God, you’re a nerd,” Bokuto gleefully replied. Kuroo desperately wished he could contest this, but there was just no way around it. He was a nerd.

 

“I know,” Kuroo groaned. “It started out as something to do when I couldn’t play volleyball or go out with other people but now I’m on every day!”

 

“What happened to you, bro?” Bokuto shook his head in mock disappointment.

 

“I met someone, and they’re pretty cool so we ended up playing together a lot,” Kuroo explained, mouth quirking up into a small smile at the thought of applepi.

 

“Ohoho?” Bokuto waggled his eyebrows.

 

“Shut up, it’s not like that. I just think he’s fun,” Kuroo lightly shoved at Bokuto before moving on to talk about his online friend. “He’s a year below us. He plays an elf cleric. He’s kinda introverted.”

 

“Is that all you know about him?”

 

“Yeah, pretty much. He talks, but I don’t know. He’s not the type who volunteers a ton of information about himself and I don’t want to seem pushy, you know?”

 

“Oh yeah, that makes sense,” Bokuto nodded solemnly. “But if you talk every day, I don’t think it’s that pushy to ask for info every now and then.”

 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I don’t know. I just don’t want to scare him off.”

 

“Hey, if he’s stuck around you this long then I’m sure he likes you! You’re very likeable,” Bokuto proclaimed, slinging an arm around his friend. “I’m sure he’d answer anything you’d ask.”

 

“Thanks bro,” Kuroo laughed. “So, did you see the game last night?”

 

“Oh man, that spike at the end? That was so cool!”

 

They talked a little about professional volleyball and gossipped about their classmates for a bit before happening on a sports apparel store. They went in, bought some new gear, and then left for the train station.

 

“Good luck with hallway boy. Knock him dead, bro,” Kuroo winked at Bokuto, who blushed but grinned back and held up two thumbs up.

 

“Thanks bro, you’re the best. Have fun with your applepi. We need to hang out more,” the silver-haired boy replied and wrapped him up in a bone-crushing hug before skipping off for his train. Kuroo watched him go fondly and then went to go catch a bus back home, ignoring the weird feeling he got when Bokuto referred to applepi as his.

 

Once he got home, he sped to his room and immediately booted up his computer. God, he really was a nerd. Fourth World’s loading screen glared at him, judging with a harsh, bright light against the darkness of his room. He was relieved when the screen softened into the beautiful scenery of a city called Retyenxerm.

 

Tall buildings with steep roofs and windows everywhere stood proudly against a gorgeous, gradient blue sky with fluffy, white clouds drifting around. Brilliantly colored awnings decorated various store fronts and dozens of vendors dotted the cobblestone streets. Other players milled around, mingling with NPC's and beasts of every kind.

 

Kuroo hastily checked his friends list and was overjoyed when he saw the green circle next to applepi's name. 

 

 **kurokat:** hey i’m back

 **applepi:** hey

 **kurokat:** what’d you do today?

 **applepi:** uh actually

 **applepi:** i tried volleyball

 

Kuroo stared at his screen with wide eyes.

 

 **kurokat:** OMG REALLY?!??!?!?!!??!

 **applepi:** it’s not that big of a deal

 **kurokat:** UH YEAH IT IS I THOUGHT YOU HATED SPORTS O:

 **applepi:** i don’t hate them i just don’t really see the point

 **applepi:** but my friend at school wants to join the team next year

 **applepi:** and he convinced me to play with him a little today to practice

 **kurokat:** THAT’S AWESOME!!!! WHAT’D YOU DO?! DID YOU LIKE IT?!

 **applepi:** uh we just did some basic passing back and forth

 **applepi:** i guess it was alright

 **kurokat:** are you gonna join your team????? :D :D :D

 **applepi:** idk probably not

 **kurokat:** awwwwwwwww :(

 

Kuroo pouted a little. Everybody should play and love volleyball, he thought. Other people had other interests though, and he could respect that. That wouldn’t stop him from hoping that applepi, whoever he was, would keep on playing. Kuroo secretly congratulated applepi’s friend for getting him to try it out.

 

It’d be pretty cool if he ended up playing against applepi one day, Kuroo thought to himself.

 

It’d be pretty cool if we met at all, Kuroo then thought. Probably wouldn’t happen. He’d probably be creeped out if I brought it up. I don’t even know his name. He probably lives really far away too. What would we even talk about?

 

Kuroo shook himself from his musings after a couple of minutes and turned his attention back to his computer. His tall, muscled avatar stood on a grassy, flower spotted hill next to a large tree and applepi’s elf. It was quite the contrast. Kuroo’s human soldier was huge, bulky armor adding to the character model’s size even more. He also had this unruly, black hair style, meant to mimic what his hair looked like in person. Next to Kuroo’s character, applepi’s appeared even tinier with his small stature and slim body clothed with cloth armor.

 

Kuroo wondered if applepi looked anything like his avatar.

 

 **applepi:** are you there?

 **kurokat:** yeah sorry spaced out lol

 **applepi:** you’re weird

 **kurokat:** lol

 **applepi:** so what do you want to do today

 **kurokat:** I was thinking we go pirenhoen

 **kurokat:** and finish up the map? i think we only have a few things left

 **applepi:** ok

 

They were running through the jungles of Pirenhoen on a quest to retrieve seven supposedly rare glowing beetles for an old man who needed them for a special medicine when Kuroo thought back to his meeting with Bokuto.

 

 **kurokat:** have you ever had a crush

 **applepi:** no

 **kurokat:** me too

 **applepi:** why?

 **kurokat:** why haven’t i ever had ac rush?

 **applepi:** no why did you ask

 **kurokat:** the friend i met up with has a crush on some guy

 **applepi:** that’s nice

 **kurokat:** yeah he doesn’t even know the guy’s name tho loooool

 **applepi:** lol

 **kurokat:** sorry for the weird question

 **applepi:** it’s fine i don’t mind

 

Kuroo didn’t know what to say from there so he opted not to say anything after that, and the two quietly continued to scour leafy scenery glowing bugs. Bokuto had said that applepi probably liked him. Enough to tolerate him for this long at least. Kuroo should definitely try to ask him something personal. Maybe his age. Or his name. Or his city. Or even his skype?

 

 **kurokat:** you know i’ve always wondered

 **kurokat:** why is your armor so plain

 **kurokat:** does it even have decent stats?

 

He was such a coward.

 

 **applepi:** it’s actually enchanted nightshale armor

 **applepi:** with boosters and embedded stones for extra stats

 **applepi:** it runs high agility, mana and mana regen, and health

 **applepi:** with some decent defense and a little damage

 **kurokat:**? then why does it look so boring

 **kurokat:** no offense

 **applepi:** it’s fine i just used transmutation charges

 **applepi:** the armor is from an april fools quest

 **applepi:** it was a joke armor for the reward but then in another chest

 **applepi:** was high ranking armor

 **kurokat:** oh lol. why do you use it though?

 **applepi:** i told you before i don’t like to stand out

 **kurokat:** even in a game?

 **applepi:** yeah

 **kurokat:** that’s cool

 **kurokat:** lol actually it was super cool and surprising

 **kurokat:** when you killed those orcs cause i thought you might

 **kurokat:** be a noob who wandered into the area

 **applepi:** lol ? there are dozens of level 60-70 mobs on the way tho

 **kurokat:** well i realized that shortly after lol

 **applepi:** sure kuro

 

He was such a coward.

 

Kuroo groaned out loud and leaned back in his chair, tossing his head back. Why couldn’t he just man up and ask one simple question about the other person? Why was it so hard? Why did he even care?

 

Sure, it’d be cool to know more about the person behind the computer screen, but did it really matter? He’d gotten through three months of casual friendship with applepi without really knowing anything; he could just continue like that.

 

But he did want to know more about applepi. For three months, applepi was the person that Kuroo talked to the most. It only made sense to want to know more about him. There was nothing weird or creepy about that. Nothing at all.

 

Kuroo breathed in deeply and sat up straight to look at his screen.

 

 **kurokat:** hey can i ask you kind of a personal question

 **kurokat:** you don’t have to answer just curious

 **applepi:** ok

 **kurokat:** uh

 **kurokat:** what’s your sign?

 

What’s your sign? Was he stupid?

 

 **kurokat:** like, your horoscope

 **applepi:** uhhh wait a second

 

Seriously, out of all the questions he could have asked. Why that one? Ugh, it sounded like a lame pick up line. Kuroo mentally berated himself as applepi assumedly went to check what his sign was.

 

 **applepi:** libra

 **kurokat:** cool

 **applepi:** what about you

 **kurokat:** scorpio

 **applepi:** cool

 

And that was that.

 

Kuroo felt inexplicably pleased that applepi’s birthday was somewhere close to his. He was so lame.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhh a third chapter! And it's only been like, a week since I started this story. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with it, but I don't think it's as good as it could be. Maybe later I'll go back and refine this story, but for now I'm just going to post what I have when I have it because I feel like if I don't, I'm going to lose my steam and I'll just give up or something. 
> 
> I've been really motivated by everyone's kind words of encouragment. Keep them coming! I'm self-centered and I love it when people feed my ego ;) 
> 
> Anyways, I'm not going to put a specific chapter limit because I don't know how many chapters I'll be writing. I'm estimating around five more, if you can bear with me that much longer.
> 
> Thank you for reading and hope you enjoy the chapter!

Kuroo dealt with several things the next week and a half. 

 

The first thing, or rather person, was Bokuto.

 

After their burger date, Bokuto had decided that Kuroo was clearly receptive to hearing every little thought and observation the silver-haired boy had about his newfound crush. Kuroo loved Bokuto; he really did. Bokuto was his best friend, his homeboy, his main man. Kuroo would do almost anything for Bokuto. If Bokuto was drunk off his ass and couldn’t get home, Kuroo would willingly sneak him into his room. If Bokuto needed to run away for whatever reason, Kuroo would gladly drop everything and join him. If Bokuto was being held hostage by crazed kidnappers, Kuroo would risk his life to try and get him out. These are all things the two had discussed at length at various times throughout their friendship.

 

This dedication towards his friend was the only reason he was able to deal with the endless stream of messages. Even so, Kuroo was a hair’s breadth away from snapping and telling the excitable young man to just leave him alone.

 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** he’s so pretty ;o; 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** and so capable i saw him in school helping a classmate 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** carry papers somewhere 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** are you stalking him?

**Bokuto Koutarou:** no! i can’ thelp that my eyes immediatley zoom in on him 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you’re so gay dude

**Bokuto Koutarou:** bro i kno

 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** omg im going craaaaaaaAAAZY

**Bokuto Koutarou:** he licked his lips and his cheeks are red from the heat 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** he looks so fucking hot bro

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** aren’t you in class?

**Bokuto Koutarou:** don’t worry i’m staring at him from the window

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ?? how does this make this any better?

**Bokuto Koutarou:** like, don’t worry i’m not missing class to stare at him

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yea but your’e not paying attention cause

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** a. you’re staring at him and b. you’re messaging me

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** about you staring at him

**Bokuto Koutarou:** ya but ur readin them lol

**Bokuto Koutarou:** now let me tell u about his perfect hair 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** uh

 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** he likes ooowllllssssssss

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i like owls too omg we’re made to be

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** brokuto you are an owl 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** so ur saying i have a chance rite

 

At least the messages were somewhat entertaining to read.

 

Kuroo honestly wasn’t sure how Bokuto managed to find so many things to ramble about regarding his crush, but apparently there were millions of nuances and quirks to compliment and coo over dreamily. Kuroo found himself playing therapist at least four times a day and personal ear almost every hour. The middle blocker hoped that the object of his best friend’s affections would return said affections soon so that he could stop waking up to fifty notifications from Facebook and equally as many texts. Aside from how overwhelming the sheer amount of messages were, the ones that came in the daytime usually interrupted him when he was eating or playing Fourth World. And that was just not on.

 

That brought him to the second thing he dealt with: applepi. 

 

In the beginning, few months of their friendship they had talked sparingly and mostly about Fourth World. They had talked about how long they had been playing said game, what other games they played, what they liked about the game, what they didn’t like about the game, what they were excited about regarding the game, and so on. In short, they talked about the game. 

 

This had been fine, because their friendship revolved around Fourth World and Fourth World is how they talked and “hung out”. And it wasn’t like that was 100 percent of what they talked about, because it wasn’t. It was only like, 95 percent of what they talked about. 

 

Like, Kuroo knew lots of things about applepi outside of the game. Applepi was a libra, he had never had a crush, he didn’t like standing out, he had two friends besides Kuroo, and although he wasn’t a sports fanatic, he’s tried volleyball at least once.

 

See? Lots of things.

 

Ok, almost nothing. It had taken Kuroo forever to even start asking personal things, and he sounded like a socially awkward loser who’d never talked to anyone before. Or an internet creep trying to hit on people. Both were pretty bad.

 

Kuroo didn’t know why he was acting so weird. He really didn’t. He wasn’t usually like this. He was normally very charismatic, or so he’d like to think. Classmates, teachers, parents- they all liked him. He wasn’t exactly boisterous or extremely talkative, but he gathered admirers and friends alike with his easygoing nature and a sort of effortless cool. Apparently that cool started and ended in real life. It didn’t seem to translate well over Fourth World chat with applepi.

 

He’d never felt hesitant about getting into people's spaces and talking or asking them questions. He’d never cared whether or not someone would respond to him or what others thought of him. Kuroo liked to think he was above that, though he was just a middle schooler. 

 

Applepi brought out a new side of him though. Kuroo was constantly wondering what the boy thought of him. Every time Kuroo typed something out, he eagerly waited for a reply and would grow apprehensive if he didn’t receive one right away. He didn’t want applepi to think he was a creep or a loser and stop talking to him. 

 

However, applepi didn’t seem to mind Kuroo’s occasional awkwardness or the weird questions the black-haired boy asked, few as they were. So, Kuroo resolved to try and talk more with applepi and try to glean information from their conversations.

 

**kurokat:** so today i was walking to the store and i passed by this super cute cat

**kurokat:** it was really fluffy and had grey fur

**kurokat:** ahhhh i want a cat

**kurokat:** do you like cats?

**applepi:** i like cats

**applepi:** i like most animals, though sometimes they’re too loud or messy for me

**applepi:** but cats are good

**kurokat:** aren’t you going to ask me if i like cats?

**applepi:** ? you just said you wanted a cat

**applepi:** your user is kurokat

**applepi:** i know you like cats

**kurokat:** lol true

 

Success. Information tidbit acquired. Applepi likes animals, but more importantly he likes cats. 

 

Kuroo had the sudden, adorable thought that applepi was a little bit like a cat. Lazy, disliking loud noises and large crowds, and cautious. 

 

Comparing his internet friend to a cat certainly made applepi a lot more cute sounding, Kuroo thought.

 

He also had the thought that he would totally pet applepi, but that was strange and Kuroo tucked it deep and way back in the dark recess of his mind.  

 

He refrained from telling applepi about either thoughts.

 

If applepi was like a cat, then Kuroo didn’t want to spook him away.

 

**kurokat:** there’s this really great place a little away from where i live

**kurokat:** and they serve the absolute best burgers 

**kurokat:** my friend and i meet there all the time

**applepi:** that’s nice

**applepi:** i just eat from the nearest convenience store 

**applepi:** when my mom doesn’t cook

**kurokat:** :( there aren’t any good places around you?

**applepi:** idk there probably are

**applepi:** just don’t want to go into a place i’ve never been

**applepi:** with food i’ve never tried 

**applepi:** i know the convenience store so i just go there the most

**kurokat:** ok but what if there’s a michelin star place right next door

**applepi:** if there was i’d know about it 

**applepi:** it’d also probably be super crowded

**kurokat:** that’s true

**applepi:** anyways i don’t eat much anyways and i can get the exact 

**applepi:** portion of food i want from the convenience store

**kurokat:** how much do you usually eat?

**applepi:** not a lot, i get full easily

**kurokat:** how often do you eat?

**applepi:** at least a meal a day 

**kurokat:** you should eat more

**applepi:** ok 

 

After this particular set of messages, Kuroo had felt strangely satisfied at applepi’s response. He had been afraid that applepi would think him overbearing or think that he was mothering him with his comment about eating more. Luckily, it seemed that applepi was fine with that. It really was unhealthy to only eat a meal a day. Kuroo guessed that the one meal probably wasn’t a lot of food either. 

 

Of course, it’s not like he really knew.

 

He wish he did though. 

 

That wasn’t weird, right? 

 

**applepi:** so i think i’m going to join the volleyball team with my friend next year

**kurokat:** YES

**applepi:** only because my friend is joining

**applepi:** and i don’t want to be alone

**kurokat:** well, i’m glad you’re gonna play anyways

**applepi:** yeah

 

It had taken all of Kuroo’s willpower not to write something like “you have me though” or “i wouldn’t leave you alone.”

 

Then, he had happily fantasized about playing volleyball with applepi. 

 

Did internet friends usually think about that sort of stuff?

 

**applepi:** there’s a rare recipe for apple pie in wesreqa’s cave 

**applepi:** i want it

**kurokat:** then let’s go get it for you 

**applepi:** ok thanks

**kurokat:** np lol. you really like apple pie don’t you

**applepi:** gee what gave it away 

**kurokat:** is this you calling me an idiot

**applepi:** maybe

**kurokat:** lol ok

**applepi:** let’s head west. we need to find a portal to wesreqa’s pavillion 

**kurokat:** okey dokey lead the way 

**kurokat:** by the way, why do you like apple pie so much?

**applepi:** i like it

**kurokat:** lol i know but why

**applepi:** i don’t know. i just like it

**applepi:** it’s sweet

**kurokat:** lik eyou ;)

 

Friends cracked jokes like that, right?

 

**applepi:** you’re so cheesy

**kurokat:** i thought it was pretty good 

**applepi:** it was awful, i think i found a passage to the surface 

**applepi:** i think the city nearby has portals to the pavillion 

**applepi:** let’s hurry the recipe is limited time

 

Kuroo and applepi happily found the rare recipe in the middle of a warm, sunshine-filled cave in a small, hidden mountain. Upon crafting, the two found out the game treat gave the consumer a 30 minute health regen boost and bonus damage. Applepi swore that he’d only consume apple pie in game and nothing else. 

 

Kuroo was inexplicably happy when he opened up his inbox after applepi had logged off and found a stack of apple pies. 

 

So, in some twisted logic, Kuroo decided to look up apple pie recipes online and make one. Maybe someday the skill would come in hand. 

 

He had never tried his hand at baking before, and his mother had looked dubious when he asked for money to go buy ingredients for pie. He’d certainly show her. He was destined for great things in the baking world! Probably. 

 

Kuroo had chosen the recipe that used the least amount of ingredients. It looked simple enough. He opted to just buy pie crust instead of making his own. While his oven was preheating he chopped up apples into uneven cubes, threw them into a bowl, and coated them with sugar and various measurements of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Then he stirred the bowl until it was all a syrupy mess of fruit and poured it all into a piecrust. He carefully fitted the other crust over it and found himself attempting to cut a cat face on the top.

 

The end result was amazingly average. His cat face was non-existent because he hadn’t cut the lines large enough and the crust had swelled in cooking, hiding the decoration. He also burned the top. The inside tasted fine, but Kuroo must have put in too much cinnamon because the flavor of the spice was a little overwhelming. The bottom crust was mushy. The best thing that could be said about this pie was that it was edible. 

 

Kuroo mournfully chewed bites of his average apple pie, regretting the decision to ever make it. The pitiful pie was so pathetic that he couldn’t even bring himself to report to applepi and tell him about it.

 

He regretted the whole ordeal even more when his mother forced him to clean up the kitchen. Why did he use so many bowls? How had he managed to make such a mess? 

 

**applepi:** sorry i’m going to see a friend tomorrow

**applepi:** probably can’t play 

**kurokat:** no problem, have fun 

**applepi:** i will 

**kurokat:** what kinds of friends do you have?

**applepi:** uh well 

**kurokat:** sorry, you don’t have to say if you don’t want to

**kurokat:** it was a weird question

**applepi:** no it’s fine i was just thinking

**kurokat:** oh

**applepi:** one is kind of quiet like me. but he’s pretty confident and straightforward 

**applepi:** and he doesn’t care if he’s in the spotlight or not

**applepi:** he and i get along though 

**kurokat:** that’s cool

**applepi:** yeah

**kurokat:** didn’t you mention you had another friend?

**applepi:** yeah. he’s an online friend

**kurokat:** oh i see

**applepi:** he plalys volleyball too actually

**kurokat:** wow lol seems everyone does

**applepi:** lol 

 

Did Kuroo count as one of applepi’s friends? How would applepi describe him? Why did he even care?

 

God, Kuroo really needed to get outside more.

 

**applepi:** what about you?

**kurokat:** ?

**applepi:** other friends

**kurokat:** oh! right! :D applepi is interested in my liiiifeeee how nice

**applepi:** shut up

**kurokat:** lol

**kurokat:** well one is really energetic and just like

**kurokat:** he’s a really sincere sort of person

**kurokat:** and i have this friend who’s just really weird

**kurokat:** but i stay wit him cause he’s pretty lol

**kurokat:** and then of course, there’s you :D

**applepi:** oh yeah i forgot to include you in my list

**applepi:** sorry

**kurokat:** don’t worry lol 

**applepi:** mm

**applepi:** i thought you were popular. you seem like that sort of person

**kurokat:** unbelievably attractive and likeable? 

**applepi:** sure

**applepi:** we can go with that

**kurokat:** what no c’mon tell me why

**applepi:** idk you just seem like you’d be the social type 

**kurokat:** eh not really. well, maybe in school?

**kurokat:** idk i guess i might be kind of

**kurokat:** but it’s not like i’m all that close to everybody i talk to

**kurokat:** these are just the people i’m closest with

**applepi:** are we close?

 

Kuroo breathed in.

 

**kurokat:** i’d like to think so

 

Kuroo held his breath.

 

**applepi:** yeah

**applepi:** we’re close

 

Kuroo breathed out. 

 

And then subsequently broke out in a cheshire grin. They were close. They were close! Applepi thought and admitted that they were close. And if they were close, then they could do things that people who were close did. 

 

Like use each other’s names.

 

Actually, Kuroo thought, that was probably a day one sort of friend goal. Not even a friend goal. An acquaintance goal. Whatever, their friendship was a little different from the norm anyways.

 

**kurokat:** does that mean that we cna exchange names now

 

Did he sound too desperate? Was that a weird way to phrase things? Should he have added a winky face or something to show that it was a casual tone? 

 

**applepi:** we could have done that a while ago

**applepi:** i thought you were just uncomfortable with sharing your name

 

Kuroo groaned. He was a fucking moron. And a coward. 

 

**kurokat:** i’m dumb 

**applepi:** is this supposed to be news?

**kurokat:** and you’re mean

**applepi:** i’m actually kozume kenma

**applepi:** but call me kenma. idk why but it sounds weird to be called

**applepi:** kozume. everyone calls me kenma.

 

Kuroo was pretty sure he was in danger of straining something, the way he was smiling.

 

**kurokat:** and i’m kuroo tetsurou. you can just call me handsome 

**applepi:** rejected

**kurokat:** what? that was good!

**applepi:** that was awful and you’re embarrassing yourself

**applepi:** kuro

**kurokat:** that’s not my name

**kurokat:** that’s not my name

**applepi:** nobody would ever call you quiet or a riot kuro

**applepi:** anyways kuro is pretty close to kuroo and 

**applepi:** i like it 

**kurokat:** well by all means go ahead kitten

**applepi:** ……………….

**kurokat:** ;)

**applepi:** ugh whatever. let’s just go already

**kurokat:** where were we heading?

**applepi:** umm lomenesque lake i need mermaid hairs

**kurokat:** ok!

 

The rest of the day, Kuroo could think of nothing but Kenma’s name over and over. Kozume Kenma. Kozume Kenma. Kozume Kenma. What a nice name. Kozume Kenma. Kozume Kenma. 

 

Kuroo and applepi were close, applepi said it himself, and applepi was really a Kozume Kenma. Kozume Kenma. Kozume Kenma.

 

Friendship, Kuroo thought, is beautiful.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hey i’m kuroo tetsurou but

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you can just call me handsome

**Bokuto Koutarou:** LOL

**Bokuto Koutarou:** damn that was good!!! 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i know, right? 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this is MUCH shorter than I wanted it to be. My goal was 3k words at least, but sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't. 
> 
> Sorry it took me a little longer to update this. I just got into London yesterday and I didn't have the right charger since I just came from Paris and my tablet ran out of battery and then I was doing things and ahhhhhhh. 
> 
> Anyways, here you go. I really hope you like it. I wanted to write more about Fourth World and anyways this is what came out. I hope you don't find it too boring! Enjoy!

“Damn,” Kuroo muttered, disappointed.

 

He really hadn’t meant to. At least, not in the beginning. He had told himself it’d be creepy. He had told himself it’d be invasive. He had told himself it’d be a breach of trust.

 

He really had. 

 

Kuroo had actually mentally anguished over it for a while. A whole hour and forty-five minutes were dedicated to debating with himself whether or not to do it. He had weighed the pros, the cons, the possible outcomes. He had even written a list. A list! How much more pathetic and obsessive could he get? 

 

Eventually he resolved to do it, because really, everyone did. It wasn’t weird! Everyone did it. What else was it for?

 

_ Kozume Kenma _ \-  _ No results.  _

 

Guess there were people who didn’t have Facebook. 

 

Kuroo decided not to mention his piss poor attempt at internet stalking to anyone. He was pretty bad at it anyways.

 

Kuroo stared at the Facebook page a couple of seconds longer and then opened up Fourth World. 

 

Applepi,  _ Kenma _ , wasn’t online when he logged on, which was disappointing. Still, it had been a little while since Kuroo had played alone and it’d probably be a nice change of pace. He was four levels behind his friend anyways, and at this level it took significantly longer to level up. Kuroo could probably spend the day playing and only manage a level or two anyways.

 

Also, he could do the story quests. 

 

When he played with Kenma the two would either go questing, exploring, or gathering together. Since they were only two they avoided dungeons, since the minimum requirement was a party of three and neither of them really wanted to go to the effort of finding that third person. They also couldn’t complete their stories when they played with each other, since it wasn’t like two people could play through their individual stories together.

 

When making a new character, the player gets to customize the looks but the player also gets to choose a very general personality, background story, and a goal. These choices defines the player’s story path.

 

Kuroo’s human soldier, Keiz, was sly, but steadfast and loyal. Kuroo had tried to have his character’s looks mimic his own as much as he could, but the body type, the hair, and the eyes had all been a little off. Keiz’s body was broader and more muscular than Kuroo’s own. Keiz was also taller and slightly more mature looking, which made sense seeing as Keiz was supposed to be late teens to twenties and Kuroo was only fifteen himself. The hair didn’t have the same flow or shape as Kuroo’s, but then again, Kuroo had a very specific and strange sort of bedhead style. And no eyes offered mimicked Kuroo’s own, hooded pair.

 

Keiz had been born in West Harzeardth, a large, bustling city next to Retyenxerm. While Retyenxerm was a halfway developed town with both huge, looming buildings and cobblestone paths as well as grassy meadows and flowery hills, West Harzeardth was the metropolis of Geahnbane. West Harzeardth was the most “modern” area in Fourth World. It was a huge magic center, and the city’s design was based on that. Neon blue and white crackled everywhere and the buildings were all tall, narrow, and dark to contrast with the bright, flashing signs. Even though West Harzeardth looked futuristic, everything also had a sort of magic quality with subtle details that dragged the city back to the medieval, fantasy period of Fourth World.

 

West Harzeardth was also an extremely dangerous city, where PvP was allowed on the streets without designated parts and no level requirements. It also had a huge underworld and black market. Kuroo had chosen Keiz’s backstory from five possible choices. Keiz was supposedly born to two, good people who had fallen into extreme debt. Unable to feed themselves or their baby, the couple had traded Keiz to a corrupt noble family in exchange for enough money to keep their house and buy food. So, Keiz had been raised by prominent figures in the underworld, but he had always wondered about his birth parents and had never agreed with the criminal ways of his adopted parents. 

 

That brought Keiz to his goal of escaping the clutches of the dark underworld and fighting for good, as well as finding out who his parents were and what had happened to them. 

 

Kuroo really liked his character’s whole shtick. He liked the way Keiz looked, he liked the way Keiz fought, he liked Keiz’s backstory, he liked Keiz’s personality, and he liked Keiz’s journey. It was fun. 

 

So far, Keiz was still stuck in the underworld, running dirty errands for his father, who was a greedy bigwig and dealt mostly in politics. But Keiz dreamed of bigger things still and trained to be a soldier in secret. In the last progression of Keiz’s story, a hooded character had slipped a note into Keiz’s hand during a ball. The note contained a date, a time, and a location. 

 

This progression of the story, Keiz would go to the place at the time instructed. 

 

It had taken a while for Kuroo to figure out how to get to the place, but eventually he found it. As he walked closer a box popped up, asking if he’d like to enter the story instance. Kuroo clicked yes and then Kuroo’s hero was sitting in a dimly lit, seedy bar. Low whispers and chilling, cello music filled Kuroo’s headphones.

 

Keiz sat in the bar for a couple of seconds, sipping a beer as the bartender shined glasses, before a short girl approached. The girl was cute, but then again all of Fourth World’s girls were cute. She had short, blonde hair up in a sort of curly bob and large, green eyes. She wore a plain, navy cloak over tights and boots and carried a satchel.

 

“Keiz?” the mysterious girl asked. Her voice was much deeper than Kuroo expected. 

 

“It’s a bit unfair that you know my name, yet I’ve never seen you before in my life,” Keiz responded, suspicious. The girl inclined her head ever so slightly, her expression turning apologetic.

 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give away anything yet,” the girl shifted, looking off to the side briefly before turning her gaze back on Keiz. It was an extremely unnecessary movement to include in the game, yet there it was. Kuroo took a moment to appreciate the graphics and attention to detail in the game before tuning back in to hear the girl add, “You better drink that fast. We need to move.”

 

“Am I expected to just follow along with a stranger’s demands?” Keiz demanded. 

 

“Sh, lower your voice. Someone might hear. We need to be very careful,” the girl quickly glanced around subtly. “The walls have ears.”

 

Kuroo snorted. What a cliche line.

 

“I swear I’ll explain everything later, but please. You need to listen to me. We need to go,” the girl pleaded and the scene paused as dialogue options popped up. 

 

  1. **Why should I follow you? Who are you? How do I know I can trust you?**
  2. **Fine. But if at any moment I feel threatened, I will not hesitate to fight.**
  3. **No, I refuse to follow a stranger’s demands.**



 

There wasn’t a huge variety for Kuroo to choose from, but it made sense, given Keiz’s backstory and personality. Keiz was supposed to be a naturally suspicious, almost hostile type. His dialogue choices reflected that. 

 

Kuroo chose number one. 

 

“Why should I follow you? Who are you? How do I know I can trust you?” Keiz immediately asked. The girl’s eyes narrowed.

 

“I can’t tell you, but if you want to ever want to escape the cage of the underworld, you will come,” she bit out. 

 

There was silence for a good twenty seconds or so.

 

“Lead on,” Keiz said. The girl grimly nodded and then started walking towards the back door. Keiz followed her out and then the screen was changing and Kuroo was out of the instance and standing in front of the bar. 

 

It was at this point that Kuroo leaned back to take a deep breath and noticed the filled circle next to the envelope icon that indicated he had mail. He had been so immersed in Keiz’s story that he hadn’t even noticed the little ding or flash when he got a message. He immediately opened it. 

 

**applepi:** hey

**applepi:** ? are you on?

**applepi:** oh you must be in a story

 

Kuroo grinned.

 

**kurokat:** hey! sorry!

**applepi:** no it’s fine

**applepi:** i’m sorry i wasn’t on earlier

**applepi:** i ended up practicing volleyball with my friend

 

Kuroo found his lips stretching even wider as he smiled harder.

 

**kurokat:** !!!!! that’s awesome!!! no worries volleyball  > mmorpg

**applepi:** not really but it wasn’t too bad

**kurokat:** lol

**applepi:** anyways do you want to play? or do you want to keep with your story

**kurokat:** like you have to ask. let’s play i can finish it later

 

The two decided to go complete a quest together. They forged through the icy lands of Movern, slashing through huge, blue giants and ice golems and sliding through long, winding tunnels of crystal trying to find rare herbs. 

 

**kurokat:** this place is so beautiful i love movern

**applepi:** yeah it’s nice

**applepi:** i’m not a huge fan of the cold irl though

**kurokat:** oh? 

**applepi:** yeah i get cold easily

**applepi:** poor circulation

**kurokat:** i’d warm you up ;) 

 

Kuroo squeezed his eyes tight and scrunched up his nose after he hit the enter button. Why did he say shit like that?

 

**applepi:** you’re so embarrassing 

**kurokat:** you love it

**applepi:** lol

**applepi:** sure

 

Kuroo’s face relaxed.

 

After twenty minutes of playing they found and collected the three hidden plants and delivered them to the snow fairy at the top of Movern Palace. The snow fairy gave them their rewards of enchanting stones, experience, and one gold each. 

 

Kuroo was thinking of what they could do after, but then applepi was already messaging him. 

 

**applepi:** hey kuro

**kurokat:** yeah?

**applepi:** do you maybe want to try another game out

**applepi:** and uh, play it with me?

 

Kuroo bit his lip to try and keep from pumping his fist into the air.

 

**applepi:** there’s a new game out that looks really interesting 

**applepi:** but it’s a duo game

**kurokat:** a duo game?

**applepi:** yeah it’s weird lol 

**applepi:** you sign up individually but then

**applepi:** you have to join up with someone else in order to progress past lvl 3

**applepi:** if you’re alone you get randomly matched up

**applepi:** but you can send a party request too

**kurokat:** oh cool. what’s the game about?

**applepi:** it’s a moba

**applepi:** you just battle other duos endlessly

**applepi:** the story is a little convoluted and pretty long but

**applepi:** the characters and gameplay look decent

**applepi:** what’s also really interesting about it

**applepi:** besides the whole duo aspect

**applepi:** is that you don’t get to use different characters for battling

**applepi:** so like, in lol or dota 2 or heroes of the storm etc etc

**applepi:** you know how you can choose a different character every match

**kurokat:** yeah?

**applepi:** well in this game you create a character and modify them

**applepi:** and you keep using them for battle

**kurokat:** that sounds pretty cool

**applepi:** yeah. so do you want to?

**kurokat:** yeah i’m down

 

There was a brief pause.

 

**applepi:** ok the game is called DUO 

**applepi:** download it

**kurokat:** ok 

 

Kuroo googled up the game’s name, found the website, and clicked on it. The homepage was filled with news about the game, latest patches, the description, and screenshots. After a few seconds of searching, Kuroo found the download link and clicked it. He switched back to Fourth World. 

 

**kurokat:** ok it’s downloading

**applepi:** it’ll take maybe 10 minutes max

**applepi:** if you don’t have a toaster for a comp

**kurokat:** nah my computer is p ok

**applepi:** ok. let’s just grind ice golems while we wait then

**applepi:** i just started downloading too

**kurokat:** alright

 

**applepi:** i’m done downloading

**kurokat:** i think i have a minute more

**applepi:** ok

 

**kurokat:** it’s finished

**applepi:** ok

**applepi:** uh

 

Kuroo waited.

 

**applepi:** do you have skype?

 

Kuroo’s eyes widened and he felt his heart skyrocket. Kenma wanted his skype!

 

**kurokat:** yeah 

**applepi:** good. we should prob skype so we don’t have to keep fourth world up

**kurokat:** good idea. my user is the same as here. kurokat

**applepi:** original. me too

 

Kuroo actually knew that. He had looked up applepi and found him on Skype before. The icon had just been a picture of apple pie and Kuroo had been too scared to send a friend request. Now, he felt comfortable to hit the add button, writing “hey it’s me ur internet friend” onto the message before hitting send. He switched back to Fourth World. 

 

**applepi:** accepted. i’m logging off of fourth world now

**kurokat:** see you on the other side

 

Kuroo logged off. 

 

And then he heard the ringtone of Skype go off.

 

**applepi is calling you…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry this is so shit. I wrote this super fast and it's 11:58 pm and it's been a long day and I'm just really tired sorry. I hope you still like it. I'll try to make the next chapter better ;o;

Kuroo yelped and immediately hit the red button. 

 

**Call ended.**

 

“Oh my God,” Kuroo moaned out, closing his eyes in mortification. He was blind and an idiot and stupid and such a moron and so dumb. Why did he do that? What was Kenma going to think? Was Kenma offended? Why did he do that?

 

A few seconds later he heard the skype notification sound and looked back to his computer screen to see applepi’s response.

 

**applepi:** ?

**the bEST BRO:** i accidentally hit decline

**the bEST BRO:** misclick… :/ 

**applepi:** lol

 

Kuroo breathed out with relief. 

 

**the bEST BRO:** call me back

**the bEST BRO:** i’ll answer this time scouts honor

**applepi:** were you ever a scout 

**the bEST BRO:** non-scout’s honor 

**applepi:** lol

 

**applepi is calling you…**

 

Kuroo took in a deep breath and clicked the green button. 

 

There was silence for a second.

 

“Uh, you there?” Kuroo hesitantly asked. A few beats of more silence. Then rustling. And then- 

 

“Sorry, hi,” a voice responded. Applepi’s voice. Kenma’s voice.

 

It was quiet and low pitched. Not super low, but a little lower than Kuroo’s own voice. It was a little raspy sounding too. Or maybe it was breathy. Kuroo couldn’t really tell, his headphones were kind of old and Skype was just a little shitty so maybe it was all just static.

 

Either way, it had far surpassed everything he had hoped and dreamed of. Not that he hoped or dreamed of anything regarding Kenma’s voice. That’d be weird, because they’re just internet friends who play an MMORPG together. Internet friends who play an MMORPG together every single day with a one hour minimum. Just internet friends.

 

It’s generally creepy to fantasize about what someone’s voice would be like, right? Or maybe it’s different when they message every single day for months. Is it different? 

 

No, probably still creepy.

 

Actually, was it creepier that he was spending so much time debating how creepy it would be to hypothetically fantasize about what someone’s voice is like? 

 

“Are you there?” Kenma asked. He sounded so reserved and formal, but in a quiet and shy sort of way that seemed to suit him. Kuroo wondered if that was how he spoke all the time. 

 

“Sorry, spaced out,” Kuroo hastily replied, lips quirking into an abashed smile. There he went again.

 

“Where have I heard that before?” Kenma lightly teased and Kuroo felt his smile grow wide with joy. Skype was a million times better than Fourth World Chat. Kenma continued on to say, “You seem to do that a lot, Kuro. Spacing out.”

 

“It’s just nice hearing your voice finally,” Kuroo admitted. His face was going to freeze if he smiled any harder. Kenma’s nickname for him was so adorable. He almost squealed like a twelve year old girl upon hearing it out loud.

 

He was just really excited to finally talk to his friend over voice chat, ok?

 

“You’re so embarrassing, Kuro,” Kenma mumbled after a beat of silence. Kuroo couldn’t contain himself and let out of a bark of laughter.

 

“Now where have I heard that before?” Kuroo chuckled, settling into the familiar banter finally. He heard a huff of laughter.

 

“You’re not funny,” Kenma pretended to grumble out, but Kuroo definitely thought he detected notes of fondness in the younger boy’s voice. 

 

“I’m always funny.”

 

“Whatever you need to tell yourself at night to help you fall asleep,” was Kenma’s wry reply. 

 

“Original,” Kuroo quipped. He could practically hear an eye roll. Kuroo tacked on “and mature.” 

 

Kenma sighed.

 

Kuroo was sure that his heart was going to break with how fond and happy he was feeling. Kenma wasn’t acting any different than he did over Fourth World chat, but something about hearing the boy’s soft voice delivering replies varying between caustic and quiet was new and exciting. 

 

“I’m not the one whose Skype name is the best bro,” Kenma judged. 

 

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that. My friend changed it a while ago and I guess I never got around to fixing it,” Kuroo explained as he went to change it. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou**

 

Better. Kuroo could practically hear Bokuto in the background, wailing about betrayal and other sorts of nonsense. 

 

Actually, Bokuto would probably rather focus on talking about how Kuroo finally got Kenma’s name and how they were even talking on Skype. Bokuto would probably also say some things that Kuroo wasn’t sure he’d want to hear or think about. 

 

Seriously, if Kenma thought that Kuroo was embarrassing, well. Kuroo was nowhere near as embarrassing as Bokuto was. Kuroo thought back to the last conversation he had with Bokuto. Bokuto had been ranting about hallway boy as usual. Apparently the loser had spilled milk on hallway boy during an attempt to gather up the courage to greet him. Hallway boy had apparently accepted Bokuto’s apology with a deadpan expression and then had left to clean up. 

 

Kuroo had spent the next hour of that particular conversation making jibes about crying over spilled milk before comforting Bokuto that hallway boy probably wasn’t that appalled and probably, maybe did not resent him or anything. 

 

At this point, Kuroo thought he should think about a career in counseling. Or love advice columns. Maybe both.

 

“Kuro?”

 

Dammit, he did it again.

 

“Sorry, uh. I was changing my name.”

 

“You spaced out again,” Kenma stated. Kuroo winced.

 

“Yeah, sorry.”

 

“If you don’t want to voice call we don’t have to,” Kenma offered with a small voice. It sounded as one note as usual, but Kuroo thought maybe he heard a tiny bit of insecurity bubbling underneath and he cursed himself. 

 

“No, no. I definitely want to. Don’t go. I’m sorry, I’m just kind of weird tonight.”

 

“You’re weird every night,” Kenma automatically replied, but Kuroo thought that the other boy sounded a little more relaxed.

 

“Yeah, that’s true enough. Sorry though, I’ll try to focus better,” Kuroo promised.

 

“Are you always this scatterbrained?”

 

“Not usually. You must be from outer space,” Kuroo started, biting his lip. 

 

“Kuro,” Kenma warned. 

 

“Because your voice is taking me out of this world,” Kuroo finished triumphantly. 

 

Silence.

 

“That was terrible,” Kenma finally said. Then he let out a small laugh and told Kuroo, “You’re ridiculous.”

 

“You love it. Anyways, what’re you up to?” Kuroo asked, voice smug. 

 

“You know what I’m up to,” was Kenma’s bland response.

 

“We’re making small talk, Kenma. Ask me.”

 

“Fine. What’re you up to?” Kenma acquiesced, sounding very put upon. Kuroo resisted the urge to giggle. 

 

“Just talking to you, kitten,” Kuroo purred out. 

 

“Why do you call me that?” Kenma mumbled. He sounded embarrassed. Cute. 

 

“Well, you kind of seem like one,” Kuroo answered. “It’s a cute nickname. Like you.”

 

That wasn’t a weird thing to say, right?

 

“You’re so weird.”

 

It was possibly a weird thing to say.

 

“Nah, I’m super cool.”

 

“I had my doubts before but now I am absolutely, 100 percent sure that you are the exact opposite of cool, Kuro.”

 

“You sure know where to hit it where it hurts. Kitten has claws.”

 

“Ugh.”

 

“If you really don’t like it, I can stop.”

 

“No, it’s fine. I don’t really mind.”

 

“Cool.”

 

The two fell into silence.

 

What should Kuroo say next? Should he wait for Kenma to say something? Was he doing alright so far on the conversation front? 

 

More silence.

 

“Um, so did you open up DUO yet?” Kenma broke the quiet. At the question, Kuroo brought up a hand to slap his forehead. He had completely forgotten about DUO. 

 

“What? Oh! Sorry, I’ll do that now,” Kuroo quickly clicked the DUO icon on his desktop. Right. They were skyping to play DUO.

 

“Tell me when you get to the character creation page,” Kenma instructed and Kuroo nodded, even though the other couldn’t see him. It was quiet once again, but this time Kuroo felt like it was much more comfortable than before. 

 

Kuroo patiently waited for the game to boot up. Once it was up he had to create an account. Kurokat was thankfully available and then after Kuroo went to his email to confirm it he was at character creation.

 

“I’m at character creation,” Kuroo informed his friend. 

 

“I am too. What kind of dynamic do we want?” 

 

“Uh, dynamic?”

 

“Should we have the same fighting style? Should we go with an attacker and a tank? That sort of dynamic.”

 

“Why don’t we just go with what we do in Fourth World?”

 

“A tank and a healer?”

 

“Well, we both deal damage in Fourth World.”

 

“That’s true. Actually, it doesn’t really matter because we only start defining our hero’s skills and fighting style later in game, point by point. In the beginning we only choose what they look like and then distribute 10 points to stats.”

 

“Oh ok, cool.”

 

The two went back to silence, customizing their individual character’s looks. Kuroo just modeled his the way he did with his Fourth World character. Kenma seemed to do the same and then the two queued up for a match, ignoring the tutorials and bot games. 

 

They got completely wrecked.

 

That was to be expected since neither of them had ever played the game before or even really read up on the controls. Actually, Kuroo was going in completely blind. They died almost instantly when the match started and the rest of the battle continued in the same vein. Kuroo actually felt mildly proud of his disastrous score of 0-17-0. 

 

The gameplay was definitely smooth and the graphics were really lovely to look at. It was just a bit difficult to understand and figure out. Kuroo didn’t really get what the end goal was either. And there was no great lore since people got to create their characters instead of using pre made ones. Luckily, the player base made up for all of these criticisms. 

 

**chiefkeef420:** LOL you guy s r such shit

**blayyzedlmao:** lmao my mom plays better than u 2 combined

**chiefkeef420:** just uninstall noobs

**blayyzedlmao:** or kys 

**chiefkeef420:** lmaooooooo nice

 

**xeddy:** don’t feel too bad. you did alright for a new player

**xenny:** yeah you almost killed us once

**xeddy:** maybe if you guys werent pure trash you could win

**xeddy:** anyways have fun getting your asses handed to you

 

**imaqtpie:** i didn’t think it was possible to be so bad at this

**dyrus:** you guys actually do negative damage i think

 

**mikuismywaifu:** holy balls u guys are horrible at this game

**born4porn:** i feel like crying watching u guys play lmao

**born4porn:** i think that last fight gave me autism

**mikuismywaifu:** that’s u all the time tho

**born4porn:** it’s true but that def kicked it up a notch

**mikuismywaifu:** same

 

The fifth, sixth, and seventh matches all went roughly the same and so, after two hours of matches, the boys reached a mutual conclusion.

 

“Well, this game sucks,” Kuroo commented idly.

 

“Yeah,” Kenma agreed, disappointed. “I thought it was going to be a lot cooler.”

 

“Well. At least there’s Fourth World,” Kuroo comforted him. 

 

“True. Let’s switch back.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Kuroo exited out of the game, right clicking the icon as soon as he could to uninstall it before opening up Fourth World. 

 

Kenma was a lot faster than him and was already logged in when Kuroo joined the world, standing in front of a huge doorway where they had left off from last time.

 

“There’s an event happening in the palace right now.”

 

“Ooh, lucky. I see it.”

 

“Draw aggro from the small giant.”

 

“Damn, the other two are on me. Can I get a regen boost?”

 

“Sure, but I need to take a pot, can you tank this one too for a second?”

 

“Yeah. Man, I really need to get a better weapon.”

 

“We can go to Yephet for a level 90 to 100 quest after this event. I think that there’s an escort mission in Marquet Square that offers a lot of reward gold.”

 

“You know what I hate about escort missions in MMORPG’s?”

 

“What?”

 

“You either walk just barely too slow or you sprint like crazy. You never can keep up with whoever or whatever you have to escort.”

 

“True.”

 

The rest of the night continued in similar fashion, with the two trading comments every now and then about the game as they played.

 

Neither one commented that they had kept skyping even though they were off DUO. 

 

“I have to go finish homework now,” Kenma finally said. 

 

He sounded a little sad, a little regretful. Kuroo was probably just hearing things.

 

“Yeah, me too. Talk to you later,” Kuroo replied, not registering his words until Kenma replied.

 

“Yeah, talk to you later. Goodnight.”

 

And then the boy logged off and Kuroo was left staring at his screen, watching Keiz idly stand around in a town square somewhere.

 

Kuroo logged off too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here i drew more shitty art for my fic: http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148254378124/ahhh-more-shitty-accompanying-art-for-addiction 
> 
> please love me


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 12:28 AM and I am so ready to fall asleep but I just wanted to get this out there so I hope y'all enjoy! I have a 7ish hour flight to montreal tomorrow so I plan to write another chapter on the plane unless I end up sitting next to a really cute guy because I don't think I'd be able to write gay fanfic next to a cute guy. I'd be way too embarrassed and self conscious.

Kuroo felt really childish and mildly embarrassed as he clicked on his best friend’s name on the Messenger app. He knew his friend wouldn’t judge him though, and he could do with a bit of gossip. And really, it wasn’t like Bokuto hadn’t done just this to him though. Granted, it was a little less exciting news than having a crush but still. Big steps in a friendship were taken and Kuroo wanted to share, so sue him. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i finally skyped applepi

**Bokuto Koutarou:** !!!!! REALLY?!!?!?!???!?

 

Why had he even worried?

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah

**Bokuto Koutarou:** !!!!!!!!!!! DUDE adfsg!!!

 

Kuroo chuckled. Bokuto never disappointed. Bokuto was actually maybe more excited than Kuroo was.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** so was it magic did he make u cum in ur pants

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** excuse me?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** wtf lol 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** don’t you dirty my applepi with your vulgarity

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i’m sorry bro 

**Bokuto Koutarou:**  but srsly how was it????

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** it was good

**Bokuto Koutarou:** but………. HOW goood?!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ? it ws a fun. it was good ??

**Bokuto Koutarou:** did u guys do the ol cream and coffe e thing

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** wtf does that even mean? is that a euphemism

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i told you don’t be gross

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i wwno’t let you sully applepi’s image

**Bokuto Koutarou:** LOL stupid! i meant did u guyy sflirt?

 

Kuroo groaned. This was it. He knew this was coming. He had seen it coming a mile away. Even before he had even knew he had known, if that made sense. His subconscious had warned him of Bokuto’s curiosity and inevitable, prying questions.

 

Of course he flirted. It was Kuroo they were talking about after all. It didn’t actually mean anything though. Not like Bokuto was asking. 

 

Didn’t mean anything. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** dude i told you it wasn’t like that

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** also wtf is that metaphor

**Bokuto Koutarou:** u kno like “do u want cream in ur coffee”

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** that’s definitely a euphemism 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** I DON’T MEAN IT IN A DIRTY WAY OMG

**Bokuto Koutarou:** I MEANT IT IN A FLIRTY WAY NONSEXUAL

**Bokuto Koutarou:** BUt definitely HOMOsexual ;) ;) ;)

**Bokuto Koutarou:** anyways do u want it to be like that? flirty i mean!!!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** no……… ? 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** the dot dot dot!!! dun dun dun! 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** so is tht a yes?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** no lol? i barely know the guy lol 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** ur overloling i think u r bein defensive LOL

**Bokuto Koutarou:** anyways u don’t need to know someone 100% to be in love u kno

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i would know

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** it’s true. you would you lovesick fool

**Bokuto Koutarou:** don’t insult ur senpai in looooooOOOOVe! </3

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** please don’t ever say that again

**Bokuto Koutarou:** ok sorry but srsly do u like him

**Bokuto Koutarou:** whats his name again? applepie?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** it’s applepi

 

A skype notification popped up on his computer. What a wonderful, helpful coincidence. Speaking of applepi… 

 

**applepi:** hey kuro do you want to play fw?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah let me log on

 

God was real. Kuroo could hold off Bokuto’s interrogation longer.  

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** got to go do chores and hw ttyl bro

**Bokuto Koutarou:** heinous lies ur just gonna play games with pastry boy

**Bokuto Koutarou:** u lovesick NERD

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you can use 3 cent words like heinous but

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you won’t type out you ?

**Bokuto Koutarou:** it’s art u wouldn’t understand

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol right

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ttyl man

**Bokuto Koutarou:** ya cya 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** and don’t think i didnt notic u didnt deny u were lovesick

 

Productive, useful friends, thy name was not Bokuto Koutarou. Still, Kuroo smiled as he skimmed over the lines of text he had exchanged with the silver-haired boy. Bokuto wasn’t exceptionally deep and didn’t possess the ability to know all like some people Kuroo knew, but Bokuto was… Well, Bokuto.

 

Bokuto was passionate, funny, kind-hearted, liked and played volleyball, and above all a great friend. 

 

Kuroo had met Bokuto during a match in his first year of middle school, when both of them were aiming to be starters and just developing their devotion to the sport. That day a friendly rivalry had been born, as well as the best comradeship that Kuroo knew he’d ever have. 

 

Since that day, about two years ago, Kuroo and Bokuto had messaged each other all the time and hung out as much as their schedules allowed. From volleyball to biology and complaining about classmates to ranting about certain, black-haired boys in the hallway, they were thick as thieves.

 

Their close friendship was something Kuroo valued a lot, and at his age, there wasn’t a whole lot he valued that much. That’s why he was able to sit through hints and blatant questions of all sorts, even the ones that made him uncomfortable. 

 

It wasn’t like he was outright denying any feelings for Kenma. He liked the kid, he did. But he didn’t really know anything about the other, and Kuroo wasn’t sure how he’d feel about an online relationship. Kenma might not even like guys.

 

Also, he may enjoy spending time playing Fourth World with the boy, but they couldn’t do anything else. And Kuroo didn’t think about Kenma every second of the day or anything. He didn’t know what Kenma looked like either so it wasn’t like he could obsess over how the younger teen looked or anything like that. 

 

Kuroo might have never had a crush, but he knew what one looked like. Exhibit A: Bokuto Koutarou. He definitely didn’t talk about Kenma the way Bokuto talked about hallway boy. Probably not a crush. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** play your mindgames all you want they won’t work on me

**Bokuto Koutarou:** just u wait kurobro. i know of all the matters of the heart

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you still don’t know hallway boy’s name

**Bokuto Koutarou:** that has nothign to do with his heart ok stfu

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** fight on

**Bokuto Koutarou:** ugh bye FOR REAL

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol bye

 

Kuroo turned his attention back onto his computer where Fourth World’s character selection page waited. He quickly selected Keiz and watched as the page morphed into the town square he had been standing in when he had logged off last night. 

 

He smiled when he saw Kenma’s blonde elf standing next to Keiz. 

 

**kurokat:** hey

**applepi:** hi

**kurokat:** what’s up?

**applepi:** just got back from school. you?

**kurokat:** the same.

**kurokat:** i’m glad you messaged me lol

**applepi:** why?

**kurokat:** my friend was starting to be annoying

**applepi:** oh

**applepi:** lol

**applepi:** why

**kurokat:** he was just bothering me about 

 

You. 

 

**kurokat:** that guy he likes

**applepi:** oh lol

**kurokat:** yeah. anyways what do you want to do today

**applepi:** i need gold for dye

**kurokat:** ok

**applepi:** i checked the daily quests 

**applepi:** there’s a jumping puzzle in maeldhane

**applepi:** resources in pirenhoen

**applepi:** and then we have to complete a task there too

**kurokat:** sounds good

 

Just do it. 

 

Just do it. 

 

Kuroo breathed in. He wasn’t a coward. He could do this. Kenma probably wouldn’t care. What was the harm? The risk?

 

There was none, so get over it. Just do it. Ask.

 

**kurokat:** hey do you wanna skype 

**applepi:** yeah

 

Kuroo beamed.

 

He schooled his face into something more sober. God, Kenma was right. He really was embarrassing.

 

Bokuto would have a field day with Kuroo’s reactions too. Ugh. Not a crush. 

 

He minimized the Fourth World window and brought up Skype. Kenma was the last person he had talked to and was at the top of the list on the sidebar. Kuroo clicked on him, made sure his headset was on properly, and then hit call. Kenma picked up on the first ring.

 

“Hey,” Kuroo greeted.

 

“Hey,” was Kenma’s impassive response. Kuroo let himself feel insecure briefly, but only just. Kenma had messaged him first to play and he had agreed to skype, after all. He hadn’t brushed him off or made an excuse. He had said “yeah”. And, from their conversation the last night, Kuroo figured that Kenma just wasn’t the real passionate sort anyways. Which was just fine with him.

 

“Which daily do you wanna do first?” Kuroo questioned. 

 

“Um, we’re closest to Pirenhoen,” Kenma responded, answering but not really answering.

 

“Ok, let’s do those first then. The portals are on the other side of the town we’re in. There’s a vista point I haven’t been to on the way, so let’s stop and do that too. It’s the one that’s on the very top of the tower next to the potion shop over there,” Kuroo briefed. Kenma was silent. Kuroo hesitantly asked, “Is that alright?”

 

“Sorry. I forgot you couldn’t see me nod,” Kenma replied. “That’s fine.”

 

“That’s hilarious,” Kuroo laughed and then directed his character to walk towards the tower. The tower was extremely tall. Kuroo zoomed into first person perspective so he could take in just how impressively the tower loomed over him. It was a light cream color, with intricate, swirling lines of gold weaving all the way up to the top of the roof. Kuroo walked around it. There was a door, but Kuroo didn’t see any action options pop up when he prompted it. Kuroo walked around it again. And again. And again.

 

“How do we get up there?” Kuroo finally asked. 

 

“Jump onto the awning over the store over there and then climb up the potion shop,” Kenma immediately answered. “Then use the trees to get up onto the roof of the tower for the vista point.”

 

“If you knew, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Kuroo groaned. 

 

“It was fun watching you struggle,” Kenma responded, voice impassive for the most part but Kuroo definitely detected a hint of humor underneath. Kuroo groaned again, but it was mostly for show. He didn’t want to give away that he found Kenma’s way of talking endearing. 

 

“Fun for you,” Kuroo instead grumbled. This time, he was rewarded with a slight, signature huff of laughter from the other teenager. Kuroo grinned, but kept his voice low and growly as he said, “Shut up.”

 

Another huff.

 

“Follow me,” Kenma instructed, and he led Kuroo around to the beginning of the parkour up to the tower top. It took a couple of tries because Kuroo kept falling off the damn tree branches but eventually they were balanced on top of the small, circular roof, watching the little vista cutscene. 

 

“I wish there were sights like these at home,” Kuroo expressed wistfully. 

 

“Mm.”

 

“You don’t think it’s pretty?” 

 

“I do.”

 

“You wouldn’t want to see this in real life?”

 

“I don’t like heights too much. I would be afraid of falling.”

 

“I would protect you.”

 

Silence.

 

Kuroo worried that maybe he’d said something weird, or too intimate, or something. It wasn’t like he hadn’t flirted like this before though. But still, Kenma wasn’t saying anything. 

 

Another beat.

 

Kuroo opened his mouth to speak up, but Kenma beat him to it. 

 

“How can I trust someone who fell off those huge tree branches four times?” 

 

Kuroo exhaled in relief. Not weird. 

 

“Hey, this is in game! I’ll have you know I am very strong and sturdy with excellent balance in real life!” Kuroo defended himself, smiling as the strange moment passed and they fell back into their usual repartee.

 

They played for exactly two hours and twelve minutes when Kenma was called away. 

 

“Dinner,” Kenma explained, mildly apologetic.

 

“Don’t worry about it. Later?” Kuroo asked hopefully. 

 

“Homework.”

 

Kuroo tried not to be too disappointed and went back to killing the rat-human hybrids called Raogmin on his screen. He mindlessly grinded the Raogmin, watching as the weird, grey mutants scampered at him only to be slashed into bloody bits as he button mashed. One minute turned into two turned into ten and soon enough Kuroo had spent nearly forty-five minutes just smashing the creatures into obliteration.

 

“Hello, it’s me, Kuroo, president of the Time Wasters Association,” the black-haired teen drolly thought to himself. He sighed. God, he was really bored. What did he ever do before Kenma? How did he even manage to play Fourth World for 60 or so levels without him? 

 

Sitting there without a sound coming in from his headphones, alone in his dark room, Kuroo felt chilly and only a little bit lonely.

 

He sat there in silence for a couple of minutes, feeling mildly pathetic, until he heard a muffled voice. He took off his headphones. 

 

“Tetsurou! Dinner’s ready!” a sweet, yet rich voice called to him. His mother. Mothers must have some sort of a superpower, Kuroo thought to himself. How else could such great timing be explained?

 

Kuroo took a deep breath, stretched, and stood up. He walked out of his room, closed the door, and headed downstairs to the table, where his father was already sitting. The kitchen emanated warmth as well as the heady, savory smells of dinner. The whole downstairs just exuded the comforting atmosphere of home and family and love.  A couple minutes after Kuroo took his place at the table, his mother came to set down plates. 

 

Kuroo felt his stomach growl at the sight of his plate with a large, grilled, salted mackerel pike, a bowl of steaming, fluffy, white rice, a bowl of hot, tasty miso soup, and another bowl of seaweed salad.

 

“Let’s eat!” the three chimed before digging in. The food was delicious, and nobody spoke. The only noises were the sounds of chewing and swallowing. It was only after the food was completely devoured that the family sat back to talk. Usually they chitchatted about this and that. How was Kuroo’s father’s job? What did Kuroo’s mother do that day? How was so and so? Was school going alright, Kuroo? How was volleyball? And so on. 

 

Tonight, however, his parents were looking much more serious than usual and Kuroo searched his mind to see if there was anything he had forgotten or done that would warrant such sober looks. His parents exchanged looks. His mother nodded once and then his father was turning his head back to look at him. 

 

“Tetsurou, we need to talk to you about where you’re going for high school.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ending isn't a cliff hanger, ok? It's just how I chose to end the story. No strange plot twists or anything, just a segue into the next chapter so no freaking out in the comments ok? Hahaha
> 
> Anyways, hope you all liked this chapter and it wasn't too boring or uneventful for y'all! As always, I really REALLY appreciate all of the support and words of encouragement <3 <3 <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took so long to update! I was gallavanting around in Montreal the past two days and then the other two I was feeling really sick but now I'm all good so here you go! 
> 
> I go home tomorrow, ending my summer trip, and so I should be able to update a lot more regularly (hopefully)! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

“Oh, I thought I would go to Nekoma,” Kuroo immediately responded. His parents were not surprised at his choice.

 

“That’s a good school,” Eiji, his father, approved. They had talked about school possibilities before and had visited a few, but Kuroo had felt a belonging with Nekoma. He liked the school uniform, the academics, and the volleyball team. There hadn’t been much he didn’t like about the school actually.

 

“Only if you’re sure, Tetsurou,” his mother added in, lovingly smiling at her son.

 

“Yeah. They’ve got a good volleyball team. I’ll apply after exams. I’ve been studying, don’t worry,” Kuroo smiled. His parents nodded. They hadn’t expected anything less.

 

“Of course you have; you’re a very dependable boy. How’s school been lately?” Asuka, Kuroo’s mother, asked, transitioning the line of conversation back to their regular small talk.

 

“It’s been alright. I understand everything. Exams are coming up but there’s no big projects or anything else.”

 

“You’ll do great. How’s volleyball?”

 

“Good. We won the last few games. I’m really gonna miss the team next year. Coach has me prepping Souta for captainship next year when I’m gone.”

 

“Big shoes to fill,” his father proudly asserted. Asuka nodded in agreement, eyes shining with motherly adoration.

 

“And what about friends, Tetsurou? You’re always in your room nowadays; don’t overwork yourself,” she reprimanded gently, narrowing her eyes a little though her mouth was soft with good humor. Kuroo just chuckled and shook his head slightly.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not overworking myself. And I have friends. I’m hanging out with Oikawa this weekend,” Kuroo informed her. His parents loved him, but his growing obsession with a computer game and some boy he met online was probably not the best thing to mention. They might ask him to expand on it or tell them about Kenma. Kuroo wasn’t sure what he’d say.

 

“Oh? The pretty boy?” The brunette woman giggled fondly, remembering her son’s friend. Oikawa had met her once before and had subsequently charmed her in typical Oikawa Tooru fashion. The pretty boy. What a crook. Kuroo rolled his eyes.

 

“Yeah, that one,” he confirmed.

 

“I thought he lived all the way out in Miyagi,” Eiji commented. His father had been less charmed than his wife, but Oikawa played volleyball and was ambitious. Friendship approved.

 

“He does. But his team has practice matches in Tokyo for some reason so they’ll be visiting and they’ve got Saturday free,” Kuroo answered.

 

“That makes sense. What do you two plan on doing?”

 

“He wants to get special court shoes and then a regular pair of sneakers and then I guess we’ll go eat and hang out at the arcade or something.”

 

“Do you need money?” Eiji questioned.

 

“Mm, I think I have a couple hundred yen left,” Kuroo answered, neither confirming nor denying as he tried to remember what was in his wallet.

 

“He needs new shoes anyways, Eiji,” Asuka pursed her lips, envisioning her son’s ratty pair.

 

“They’re not that beat up,” Kuroo protested.

 

“No, she’s right. You do. You’re a growing boy,” Eiji boasted. “We’ll give you money for new shoes, food, and a little extra for whatever you two do after.”

 

“I really don’t need new shoes,” Kuroo sighed.

 

“Nonsense. I’m going to get my wallet,” his father chuckled. The man excused himself and went to retrieve his wallet while his mother started to bring dishes back into the kitchen. Kuroo helped her bring them in and helped wash and dry the dishes, though she tried to shoo him away to go wait and relax at the table.

 

Finally, once the dishes were glistening clean and resting in the cupboards, Asuka brought out a sweet potato pie along with smaller dishes and accompanying silverware then set to making tea.

 

“Pie?” Kuroo asked. His family didn’t usually eat dessert.

 

“We thought we’d celebrate you choosing a high school,” Eiji explained, having just come back from his office.

 

“Oh. Thank you,” Kuroo smiled gratefully, sitting at the table with his family as his mother cut slices and his father opened his wallet. And promptly handed him 6000 yen.

 

“Dad! This is way too much!” Kuroo exclaimed incredulously as he stared at all the money.

 

“You’ve been working hard, Tetsurou,” Asuka ruffled her son’s black hair as she served him his slice.

 

“You’re always in your room anyways. Have fun! Treat yourself,” his father insisted. Kuroo shook his head but grinned.

 

“Thanks,” Kuroo said sincerely and appreciatively, taking the bills. His parents just smiled in response and they all dug into their slices of pie. It was sweet and tasted of comfort and happiness.

 

The three continued the night in similar fashion, sipping fragrant tea and eating bites of that sticky, saccharine treat. His parents discussed recent developments in work, talked about their neighbors and friends, and asked Kuroo more about his life. All in all, it was a wonderful, homey night and Kuroo found himself satiated and pleased as punch about his life.

 

Asuka refused to let her son help her with the remaining dessert dishes and so Kuroo trudged upstairs back to his room. He put his money into his wallet and sat down on his desk chair. His computer hummed as he pressed the ‘u’ key, waking it up from sleep mode. The screen flickered to life and he lazily input his password. He slipped his headphones on and then opened skype.

 

The little circle next to applepi was disappointingly empty.

 

Bokuto’s was empty too.

 

Oikawa’s was green.

 

Kuroo shrugged to himself and set to typing.

 

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** we’re still on for saturday right?

 **Oikawa Tooru:** you betcha~

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** i’ll see you at the store then

 **Oikawa Tooru:** whaaat no meet me at the station!!!!

 **Oikawa Tooru:** i’m the one coming all the way from freaking miyagi after all

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** oh yeah you’re right

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** ok i’ll see you there

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** is iwaizumi coming

 **Oikawa Tooru:** ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** so that’s a no

 **Oikawa Tooru:** UGHHHHHHHHHGHHHGHHHGHHHG

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol sorry man

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** why isn’t he coming?

 **Oikawa Tooru:** UGH ;n; ;o; :( :( :( he said that he has to go

 **Oikawa Tooru:** visit a RELATIVE can you BELIEVE it?!?!?!

 **Oikawa Tooru:** instead of hanging out with his best and childhood friend ME

 **Oikawa Tooru:** and his fabulous best and childhood friend’s friend YOU

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** oikawa a relative is a perfectly reasonable excuse tho

 **Oikawa Tooru:** UGH whatever

 **Oikawa Tooru:** anyways gtg i have hw

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** bye loser

 **Oikawa Tooru:** MEAN. you and iwa chan are MEAN. and RUDE.

 **Oikawa Tooru:** bye ttyl

 

Kuroo sighed as the conversation ended and then quickly wrote a message to Kenma.

 

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** can’t play sat afternoon meeting with a friend

 

No reply.

 

He hadn’t expected one, since the other boy was offline, but it was still a little dispiriting.

 

He had to study for exams anyways. The black-haired boy stared lifelessly at his screen for a minute or two more and then abruptly stood to retrieve several textbooks. For the next two hours Kuroo read over math theories, science terms, and refreshed his English vocabulary, furiously taking notes. It was tedious at first, but soon he settled into a groove and by the time he heard the skype alert he felt oddly fulfilled.

 

 **applepi:** the lovesick one?

 

Kuroo glanced up to see what his last message had said. Oh right, he couldn’t play on Saturday. That was a little sad too actually.

 

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** nah this other loser

 

Sorry Oikawa. Kuroo was looking forward to seeing his friend. He was.

 

 **applepi:** pot kettle

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** excuse me

 **applepi:** don’t throw stones at glass houses

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** excuse me

 **applepi:** you’re a loser

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** EXCUSE ME

 **applepi:** you can play in the evening though right

 

Kuroo smirked, amused at Kenma brushing him off. Kenma wasn’t really the type to engage in that sort of banter for too long but every time he did, Kuroo felt hopelessly charmed. It was awful. Seriously awful.

 

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** oh yeah

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** i can also play in the morning

 

If Kenma wanted, Kuroo would be willing to forego sleep to play with the other boy. Was that unhealthy?

 

 **applepi:** maybe. depends on how early it is

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** i usually wake up around 7 every morning

 **applepi:** yeah no

 

Kuroo chuckled, imagining Kenma’s flat voice delivering that sentence with a flavor of disgust.

 

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** ok i guess that is a little early for most people

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** when do you usually wake up on weekends

 **applepi:** 11 at earliest and 3 at latest

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** wtf what time do you go to sleep

 **applepi:** not that late

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** … right

 **applepi:** shut up

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** you need sleep kenma

 **applepi:** mm

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol how was dinner

 **applepi:** it was ok.

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** what’d you eat?

 **applepi:** beef stew over rice and salad

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** yum

 **applepi:** what about you?

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** grilled salted mackerel pike and sides

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** my favorite

 **applepi:** you took longer than usual to eat

 

Kenma noticed how long it usually took him to eat?

 

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah my parents wanted to talk about high school

 **applepi:** oh right you’re going next year

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** you still have another eyar of middle school right

 **applepi:** yeah

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** cool. know where you wnt to go?

 **applepi:** i don’t really care. my parents don’t really either. do you know where?

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah. i’m just gonna go to nekoma. it’s my local high school

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** good volleyball team too

 

Kenma didn’t reply immediately. Kuroo patiently waited, counting the seconds. Two minutes passed.

 

**applepi is typing…**

 

Kuroo stared expectantly.

 

 **applepi:** i’m sure it has nothing to do with the name or anything

 

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** whatever are you talking about :p

 **applepi:** just get on fw

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol ok

 

**applepi is calling you…**

 

Kuroo gleamed, fumbling with his headset before eagerly hitting the green button.

 

“Hey,” he answered the call.

 

“Hi,” Kenma’s bland voice hummed through his headphones. Kuroo tried not to feel too fond at the sound.

 

“Hi.”

 

“You already said that,” Kenma said. Kuroo could practically hear an eye roll through the skype call, impossible or not.

 

“Oops,” Kuroo hummed, unapologetic. “So what do you want to do?”

 

“Let’s go to the temple up in Yemzui. There’s an event there and it’s the closest area to us,” Kenma directed, and Kuroo found himself nodding in response.

 

Silence.

 

“Is that alright?” Kenma asked.

 

“Oh! Yeah, that’s good,” Kuroo cleared his throat. Right. Kenma couldn’t actually see him nodding.

 

“Did you space out again?”

 

“What? No. I just nodded my head and forgot you couldn’t see.”

 

“You’re so lame.”

 

“Didn't you do that earlier? And I'm just like this around you. Something about you just makes me go dumb,” Kuroo cooed, clicking to follow Kenma’s character through the fields and towards a large mountain in the distance.

 

“No, I think that’s just you,” Kenma monotonously countered. Kuroo chuckled. Kenma never failed to get a laugh out of him.

 

“Maybe,” Kuroo agreed. The two continued to walk through fields, occasionally slashing through Raogmin and other beasts. Then they waded through a river and set to finding a ridge to climb up on the mountain.

 

“Hey, what’s your character’s name anyways?” Kuroo suddenly asked, the question popping up in his head randomly.

 

“Oh. It’s Kenma,” was the muttered response. Kenma almost sounded a little embarrassed.

 

“You named your character after yourself?” Kuroo grinned. They found a pathway up the mountain.

 

“Didn’t you already know that anyways?” Kenma bit out petulantly.

 

“I have player names turned off,” Kuroo explained. “Is your character modeled after you?”

 

“Yes. I’m an elf in real life,” Kenma deadpanned.

 

“Besides that aspect,” Kuroo rolled his eyes.

 

“The eyes and the stature, I guess. I don’t have blonde hair though.”

 

Kuroo felt something warm wash over him, hearing about what Kenma looked like in real life.

 

“What color hair do you have then?”

 

“Black.”

 

“Me too! We totally match. Besties for life,” Kuroo jokingly squealed in a high-pitched voice.

 

“The majority of Japanese people have black hair.”

 

“Wow, way to just crush my dreams of friendship like that.”

 

“Someone has to do it,” Kenma brushed him off.

 

“True. What would I do without you, my darling Kenma?” Kuroo asked breathily.

 

“You’re so embarrassing,” Kenma mumbled after a few beats of silence. Cute.

 

“It’s a talent of mine.”

 

“Obviously,” Kenma replied. Then, “What about you?”

 

“What about me what?”

 

“Is Keiz modeled after you?” Kenma clarified.

 

“Kind of. I’m tall and I have black hair. But my eyes are a little different than Keiz’s and my hair has a different shape.”

 

“Mm.”

 

They reached the mountain and were greeted by several huge, white monsters, which they promptly took down.

 

“Actually, I chose my class based off my position in volleyball. Middle blocker. You know, all high defense,” Kuroo thoughtfully said.

 

“I chose mine off of how I would probably be if I lived in Fourth World.”

 

“Why’d you start playing Fourth World anyways?”

 

“I play all sorts of games and this one was pretty popular so I just gave it a try and I ended up liking it. What about you?” Kenma answered as he led Kuroo through a winding path surrounded by humongous ice fragments up to a large nest.

 

“It was raining and I couldn’t play volleyball. My friend was also busy so I couldn’t hang out with him. I had finished my homework and I was sick of studying so I chose the first game I saw when I searched up ‘online games’ and here we are.”

 

“So you don’t even really play games?” Kenma questioned. A gigantic, monstrous bird landed on the nest and Kuroo and Kenma, along with several other players, started to attack.

 

“Nope. I’m surprised I ended up playing Fourth World so much. But lucky I did.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I got to meet you.”

 

Kuroo held his breath.

 

“You’re so embarrassing,” was Kenma’s reply. Standard. “I’m glad I got to meet you too.”

 

Kuroo was breathless.

 

The two continued to play for another hour or so in comfortable, companionable silence. Finally, Kuroo noticed that it was getting late.

 

“We should sleep,” the brunette teen said, breaking the quiet. Kenma grunted, annoyed.

 

“It’s only midnight, Kuro.”

 

“Sleep,” Kuroo insisted.

 

“Fine.”

 

“Promise me you’ll sleep, Kenma,” Kuroo pushed.

 

“I promise.”

 

“Ok, goodnight. Talk to you tomorrow!”

 

“Goodnight. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  
**Call ended.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I'm so so SO sorry that this took so freaking long. I got home last week and then I had to do a whole bunch of work for my mom and in my free time I played games with friends and drew fanart. 
> 
> Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this. So sorry for the late update!
> 
> Shameless promoting of my shitty fanart plz love me:   
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148822416264/you-me-and-the-clouds  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148682576669  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148775783499/sometimes-i-want-to-swim-but-tonight-let-me-sink

Beep beep beep!

 

Beep beep beep!

 

Beep beep beep!

 

“Ugh,” Kuroo groaned, clumsily rolling over onto his right side to slam the power button on his alarm clock. He really needed to get that changed to something else. He was starting to develop a pavlovian response to beeping sounds. Every time he heard anything remotely similar to a beep, he could feel his heart rate spike and felt an urge to smash something in exhausted frustration. Sure, he might develop the same response if he changed the alarm to a song or another sound, but beeps were such a common sound. It’d be much better to jump every time he heard whatever song he chose rather than every time he heard a simple beep.

 

Maybe if he actually changed it instead of thinking about how much he should change it he could get something done. 

 

Kuroo rubbed his eyes sleepily, blinked four times, and then stared at his ceiling. What a lovely ceiling. He could spend his whole day- no, his whole life looking at this ceiling. What a fascinating ceiling. A fantastic ceiling. The best ceiling, one might say. Who is that one? Kuroo. Kuroo Tetsurou is the one saying that this ceiling was the best ceiling. 

 

“I love you, Mr. Ceiling,” Kuroo murmured out, lazily stretching a hand towards the ceiling.

 

God, he really needed to get up.

 

The teen lied in bed for another ten minutes. His bed was so warm and comfy. His mattress felt like cushy tofu, his sheets were soft as milk, and he had a wonderful comforter that coated him like a layer of velvety mold. The last analogy was what propelled him to actually sit up, stretch, and then swing out of bed. He glanced at the clock.

 

7:18 a.m.

 

Nice. 

 

Kuroo stretched one more time then he trudged over to his computer to turn it on, opening skype once he saw his desktop pop up. The little circle next to applepi was empty, but he shot a message to him anyways.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i’m gonna be on fourth world till 1:30

 

Then the brunette ambled over to his closet. He took a second to decide whether he just wanted a warmer pair of pajamas or if he actually wanted to dress for the day. Save the effort of actually looking for an outfit now or save the effort of later having to look for an outfit? 

 

Kuroo sighed and pulled out a clean pair of briefs and a pair of standard black jeans and started rummaging for a decent top. If he was meeting with Oikawa later, he should probably try to look somewhat alright. After inspecting a couple of shirts, he finally grabbed a soft, navy blue sweater. Laden with clothing, he slowly sauntered to the bathroom. 

 

He winced as he left the warmth of his bedroom and faced the cold, stale air of the rest of the house. The bathroom was even chillier and he hurriedly grasped the shower knob and twisted it to ‘hot’, yanking his hand away milliseconds before the shower nozzle sprayed scalding water down. Kuroo twisted the knob a little and then played the shower edition of the hokey pokey. You put your right hand in, it’s burning, you put your right hand out. You put your right hand in, it’s still burning, you put your right hand out. Repeat until water is at desired temperature. 

 

The steam from the water served to thaw the icicle that was his bathroom and once the air felt lukewarm, Kuroo stripped himself from his clothes and hopped into his shower. 

 

Ahh. Perfect.

 

The hot water pattered against his skin comfortingly, running down in caressing rivulets. With every second the tall boy felt his tiredness melting away. He stood under the rejuvenating rain for a minute, maybe two, just soaking in the feeling. Morning showers were the best.

 

After Kuroo shampooed and conditioned his air and rubbed his body down with soap, he rinsed off and grabbed his towel. Then he dried off the best he could and wiggled into his outfit for the day and returned to his room, warmed inside and out from his shower.

 

He was further warmed when he saw that he had a skype notification.

 

**Oikawa Tooru:** remember we’re hanging out today!!!!!!

 

Perhaps a little less warmed.

 

Kuroo smiled nonetheless and sat down to type out a response. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah yeah i know lol 

**Oikawa Tooru:** at 2!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** oikawa i remember lol

**Oikawa Tooru:** just making sure 

**Oikawa Tooru:** we can’t all be blessed with such great memory like me

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** right. “blessed”

**Oikawa Tooru:** don’t be rude

**Oikawa Tooru:** also what are you wearing ?

**Oikawa Tooru:** i can’t be seen with a hobo no matter how hot he is you know

**Oikawa Tooru:** hobo-chaaaaan~

 

That’s about what he figured.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i’ll look presentable don’t worry

**Oikawa Tooru:** you better

**Oikawa Tooru:** although if you looked awful

**Oikawa Tooru:** you’d only make me look better in comparison (if such a thing is possible)

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol 

**Oikawa Tooru:** you don’t osund very sincere tetsu-chan

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i’m always sincere

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i’m positively brimming with sincerity

**Oikawa Tooru:** you’re disgusting

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ?? i didn’t even mean it like that lol 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you’re pretty dirty oikawa… 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** the grand king is a dirty pervert 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you’re going to ruin my innocence

**Oikawa Tooru:** you’ve never had an innocent bone in your life

**Oikawa Tooru:** anyways i have to go to practice now ttyl

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** bye

**Oikawa Tooru:** bye

 

Kuroo sighed and looked at the bottom right of his screen.

 

7:32 a.m.

 

He opened Fourth World.

 

Kuroo’s character was standing at the top of a sky-high, stone tower on Urinaham’s Island, right next to a newly spawned dragon called Quelsy. Kuroo cursed and immediately rolled away, dodging a vicious flame. He needed to get off the tower. Luckily, since it was an island, there was water close by for him to jump down into without having to worry about fall damage. 

 

Unluckily, Kuroo sucked at the game and somehow missed the sea, jumping instead on the small patch of sand of the island.

 

Splat.

 

Kuroo sighed as his screen turned grey. How did he manage to miss such an easy drop? Luckily he didn’t need anything from Urinaham anyways, so he clicked on the respawn button without a drop of regret. He respawned in a nearby town called Port Vandalia, which was a seaside village with a large harbor. It was right next to Sea Kanex and there were always large ships and boats littered around. Most of the NPC’s wandering around were sailors, captains, or pirates who gave out sea-based quests.. Walking around Port Vandalia was like walking around inside of Pirates of the Caribbean.

 

Kuroo took advantage of the location and bought a couple of Vandalia’s special, saltwater taffies, which gave generous attack speed buffs and also doubled as useful items for multiple quests. He also went to Hard Sally, a buff, NPC cook at The Fishing Line. She gave him a list of ingredients she needed and off he went. 

 

It didn’t seem like a difficult quest. Just track down the eight ingredients needed and get them to her. No time limit. Easy peasy.

 

“Where the heck is the Lobster King?” Kuroo muttered in frustration after half an hour of searching for the humongous, bright red crustacean for what seemed like ages. “It’s supposed to be right here!” 

 

After four more minutes of swimming in circles and trying to find the Lobster King, Kuroo gave up. The reward wasn’t worth it anyways.

 

8:02 a.m.

 

Kuroo sighed and found the nearest portal that took him to Retyenxerm and from there he traveled to West Harzeardth before opening his story journal to see where he had left off.

 

Kuroo directed Keiz through a winding path through the town of West Harzeardth. The whole ground of West Harzeardth was transparent, glowing with white and neon blue light. Supposedly the whole city was powered with magic runes, and some darker rumors circulated around conspiracy players that there were slaves hooked up to provide energy or something like that. 

 

These rumors were birthed by a few incredible glitches in the game when it was still in beta. Someone had seen people, elves, and a few other races all chained up in what was supposed to be a generator room and had taken a screenshot and posted it on the Fourth World forums. It had blown up and the company had ran with it and tweeted several incriminating sentences which spurred on the players even more. Kuroo had heard that there was even a quest or two dedicated to the theory. In fact, he suspected that Keiz would probably end up running into some "evidence" or something of the like.

 

But for now, Kuroo was content to ignore all of the potential stories and theories and whatever he would encounter. It was more fun to just play through. So, he watched Keiz continue to navigate around the large, futuristic city until he reached the sparkling green diamond and entered the instance where the short girl with the green eyes from before was staring at him impatiently.

 

"Are you coming or what? We have to hurry if we want to make it on time," she beckoned. Keiz nodded and then she was off and Kuroo started running to follow her. She led him through several alleys and then finally they stood outside of a seedy building that looked like it was falling apart.

 

“Inside,” the girl demanded, quickly disappearing behind a door. Keiz followed through. He found himself inside of a dimly lit space surrounded with grimy brown walls. The paint was peeling and there was junk just littered around everywhere. It was so run down and looked so old that Kuroo marveled at the attention to detail. Of course, this room was no feat compared to other areas of the game but still. 

 

“So who are you? Why did you bring me here?” Keiz bit out. 

 

“I’m sorry. I still can’t tell you who I am. But I can tell you why I brought you here,” she responded, shaking her head for the first part. Keiz frowned. 

 

“Why can’t you tell me who you are? What’s going on?” 

 

“This is a delicate situation, and all of our lives are in danger,” the girl grimly replied. 

 

“Who sent you? What’s happening? What situation?”

 

Kuroo scrunched his nose up. His character was such a little bitch. Stop asking questions and listen to the damn girl already. Obviously she can’t reveal anything! You’ve lived in the underworld almost all your life and all you can do is whimper helplessly and blubber? Shut up and be a man. 

 

“It’s better if you don’t know the details yet. But what I can tell you is that the underworld as you know it is going to change tremendously in the next few years. And the catalyst is going to be you,” she ominously said before Fourth World’s message alert sounded. 

 

Kuroo wasn’t entirely sure how Kenma managed to interrupt him right at the climaxes every time he was playing through the story but he did.

 

Kuroo definitely didn’t mind either. 

 

The teen exited out of his story and clicked the envelope icon. 

 

**applepi:** you’re not responding to me on skype

 

Kuroo alt tabbed out of Fourth World and opened up Skype to see a little orange bubble with a one right next to applepi. Oops.

 

**applepi:** i’m awake. fourth world?

 

Kuroo hit the phone icon.

 

Kenma picked up after three rings. 

 

“Sorry, I was playing story,” Kuroo explained. 

 

“It’s fine,” Kenma responded, voice rough with sleep. 

 

“Did you just wake up?” Kuroo smiled fondly. Kenma sounded cute. 

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Aw, you woke up for me?” Kuroo smiled wider. That was even cuter.

 

“Shut up,” Kenma replied. His voice was definitely tinged with embarrassment. 

 

“You know why you’re so tired though?” Kuroo could feel his smile grow a little feral. 

 

“Kuro this better not be one of your-”

 

“It’s cause you’ve been running through my mind all night.”

 

“Why.”

 

“Because while some people like to watch the Olympics because it only happens every four years, I’d rather talk to you because talking to someone as special as you only happens once in  a lifetime.”

 

“Stop.”

 

“Wait wait, one more. Can I swim in your eyes on a hot summer day?” Kuroo finished his question wheezing with laughter. 

 

“You’re so awful,” Kenma muttered. To Kuroo’s delight, the other boy definitely sounded amused at his antics. 

 

“And you’re the cat’s meow,” Kuroo cooed sincerely. He heard a quiet chuckle and the two went back to silence and went on to go searching for a Voltrez, a special fruit found only in some obscure cave. It was heavily guarded and necessary for an incredibly obscure quest that a mountain recluse gave. Apparently Kenma had stumbled upon the man doing another quest a while back and had gone back to check him out. 

 

So, they collected the Voltrez. Then they carried it back to the mountain man, who made some crazy, bubbling blue potion out of it, handed it to them, and told them to deliver it to a dying wood nymph in the next region over. 

 

So, they carried the potion to the dying wood nymph, who turned out to be a crazy, murderous creature who attacked them on sight. Decidedly not dying. They killed her and then they found a bottle on her body with a scrap of paper. 

 

Kuroo and Kenma followed this obscure quest around for hours, ending in a secret area that was unavailable to everyone who hadn’t completed the quest. The reward was four gold each and a special dye that was, again, unavailable to the general public. And, in a beautiful coincidence and luck of timing, they finished right at 1:30 p.m.

 

Ok, actually it was 1:32 p.m. 

 

“Well, I have to go now. I’ll talk to you later,” Kuroo said, stretching. 

 

“Mm. Bye,” Kenma answered. Kuroo thought maybe he sounded a little sad or reluctant to say goodbye. Maybe that was just wishful thinking. Not that he wished for Kenma to be sad. He would never wish for Kenma to be sad. If Kenma could be happy all the time, that’d be fantastic. Kuroo would love to make Kenma happy all the time. For Kenma to be happy all the time, he means.

 

Ugh. He was so weird.

 

Kenma had already ended the call anyways. 

 

Kuroo blew air out between his lips, took in a deep breath, and then sighed. There was definitely something wrong with him. 

 

**Oikawa Tooru:** we’re meeting at 2 don’t forget u loser!!!!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah i’m leaving soon 

**Oikawa Tooru:** ???? leave now!!!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ok ok princess

**Oikawa Tooru:** good. see you soon. 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** see you soon

 

**applepi:** come back soon

 

Kuroo stared at the message. 

 

And then he inexplicably felt the room heat up.

 

But it was really him. 

 

He was blushing. Actually blushing. Like a little schoolgirl in love. 

  
He was so fucked. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh also here's another drawing of Kenma's avatar: http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148540029474/kenmas-avatar-for-my-kuroken-fic-addiction-and
> 
> and as always, thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I take such a long time updating lately :( 
> 
> I've just been screwing around playing games and drawing kuroken fanart. Shameless self-promoting:
> 
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/149150540019/  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/149091859064/  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/149304991564/  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/149208722219/  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148822416264/  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/149108752404/  
> http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/post/148682576669
> 
>  
> 
> Ugh and classes start tomorrow :( 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter update! Follow me on tumblr: http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/ for chapter updates and kuroken + haikyuu! + my silly life!
> 
> Also, I LOVE messages/comments/chatting so feel free to say something to me and just talk!

The station was packed, like always. There were hordes upon hordes of people rushing about trying to get on a train. People melted into each other in efforts to fit themselves inside the trains and others jostled around restlessly. It was absolute mayhem.

 

An old man here, a mother there, two teenagers around the corner. A frazzled lady carrying four bags of groceries. A harried looking salaryman with a briefcase. A child and father holding hands. A young girl chattering into her phone loudly.

 

But no Oikawa.

 

Where was he?

 

Black hair. Black hair. Black hair. Blonde hair. Black hair. Pink hair, is that a wig or dyed? Black hair. Brown hair! Not Oikawa. Black hair. Brown hair, still not Oikawa.

 

Kuroo checked his phone.

 

2:03 p.m. 

 

Did he get the time wrong? The brunette scanned the crowds again. Why did Oikawa insist on meeting at such a busy place? Oikawa was definitely banned from choosing the meeting place the next time they hung out. 

 

“Testu-chaaaaaan!” 

 

Well. That sounded familiar.

 

Kuroo glanced around, trying to spot the origin of the sing-song voice. 

 

“Tetsu-chan, over here!” 

 

Where the hell was he?

 

“Tetsu-chan!”

 

Kuroo swung around to find Oikawa grinning at him. Kuroo tried to say something, but the sounds of station rush washed it away. Oikawa shrugged and pointed at the platform for their train before flouncing off to get closer. Kuroo rolled his eyes and followed him, making sure not to lose sight of his friend.

 

They missed the next train that came, since there were so many people and they couldn’t fit. They managed to grab the one that arrived after that though, and so they were on their merry way to the shopping center where the shoe store Oikawa wanted to go to was. 

 

They didn’t talk on the train and stayed quiet until they walked up to the entrance of the center. 

 

“I want to buy my shoes first,” Oikawa announced. Kuroo nodded and that was that. 

 

The store wasn’t absurdly busy, but there were a few people milling around and looking at shoes. Oikawa already knew what pair he wanted and went to try them on, leaving Kuroo to glance around and try to find some for himself. After trying on a few pairs, he eventually settled on a clean looking black model with red lines. They’d do nicely for the court and would last him a while before he outgrew them. He’d have to remember to thank his father at dinner that night.

 

Oikawa lined up behind Kuroo with his own shoes and the two boys paid and with their purchases in hand, trooped off to a ramen shop where they both ordered some standard pork ramen with egg.

 

“So Tetsu-chan, what’s up with you?” Oikawa asked once they’d finally settled down with their bowls.

 

“Not much. Just volleyball, exams, and computer games,” Kuroo shrugged, picking up his chopsticks.

 

“Computer games? Are you a nerd now?” Oikawa teased before taking a bite of noodle and pork. 

 

“Yeah, totally. I’d look good in glasses, right?” Kuroo fluttered his eyelashes.

 

“You would, but I’d look better.”

 

“Whatever you say. Anyways, I’m mostly playing because of this one person,” Kuroo smiled, thinking about Kenma.

 

“What’s this? Tetsu-chan has a crush?” Oikawa opened his mouth and eyes in mock surprise. Frustratingly, he didn’t even look that comical. Just good. Oikawa always looked good. How annoying.

 

“Yeah, you could say that.”

 

“Boo. Be more tsundere, Tetsu-chan. Blush and stammer like we’re in a shoujo manga, ok?”

 

“Who’s the nerd now, you gross otaku?” Kuroo chuckled.

 

“Or is it a shounen-ai manga?” Oikawa hummed, ignoring the black-haired boy’s jab.

 

“It’s a guy,” Kuroo affirmed.

 

“Course it is. God, so many of us are gay, what even?”

 

“Volleyball turns men gay. Confirmed,” Kuroo slapped his hands on the table with a serious look on his face.

 

“You’re probably right. What a tragedy,” Oikawa intoned jokingly before brightening up again. “Sooooo tell me about your little nerd crush!”

 

“What are we, girls?” Kuroo rolled his eyes. 

 

“If it’ll get you to gossip with me, then yes. We are. One hundred percent. Now spill,” Oikawa made grabby motions with his hands, causing the other to laugh.

 

“Mmk. What do you want to know?” Kuroo drawled, pretending to twirl an imaginary lock of hair between his fingers. He snorted at himself and then went to take a bite of his food.

 

“Everything. His name, his age, his school- does he go to your school? What is he like, what do you like about him, how did you two meet, do you think he likes you too? When did you realize you had a crush, etcetera. Tell me everything!”

 

“Wow. That’s a lot,” Kuroo pursed his lips, thinking. “His name is Kozume Kenma. He’s a year younger than us. I don’t know where he goes to school. I met him over this computer game I played I was bored. I have no idea if he likes me like that. I like his voice, I like that he likes apple pie, I like his deadpan personality and his sarcasm. I like how nerdy he is. I literally realized I had a crush today, before I left to meet you.”

 

“An internet relationship! Ooh!”

 

“Hardly. We just play together after school.”

 

“Does he ever flirt with you?”

 

“I don’t know. I mean, at times I think maybe? But he’s not really the type to flirt.”

 

“Do you flirt with him?”

 

Kuroo gave him a look.

 

“Right. Is he receptive to your bad pickup lines?” Oikawa smiled sweetly. 

 

“My pickup lines are spectacular. One hundred percent success rate,” Kuroo defended. 

 

“Didn’t work on me.”

 

“They would have, but I didn’t know about Iwaizumi.”

 

“Too true.”

 

“How’s it going with him by the way?

 

“The same as always,” Oikawa sighed before smirking and shrugging his shoulders helplessly. Kuroo frowned sympathetically.

 

“He’ll come around,” Kuroo assured his friend, patting the shorter boy’s back. Oikawa shrugged again.

 

“I think he’s straight anyways.”

 

“You think. You don’t know. Why don’t you just ask? You’ve known him forever.”

 

“Iwa-chan can see right through me. He’d immediately know why I was asking.”

 

“Would that be so bad?”

 

“It would! I think I’d be heartbroken if he said he didn’t like me like that, or that he was straight, or the very very worst that he thought I was gross and didn’t want to be my friend anymore!”

 

“I don’t think Iwaizumi is like that. Anyways, if he’s put up with your sorry ass for all this time, he probably won’t stop anytime soon.”

 

“So mean, Tetsu-chan.”

 

“You know I’m right.”

 

“He wouldn’t stop being my best friend, fine. But I think I’d be crushed if he didn’t like me back.”

 

“That’s true, I guess. Good luck,” Kuroo wished him sincerely. Oikawa gave him a small smile in return. Kuroo rubbed his shoulder and continued on to say, “And besides, if Iwaizumi doesn’t work out you’ve always got me!”

 

“Nah, you’ve got your little nerd crush. If I ever get rejected I’ll just live vicariously through you and sit in on all of your dates,” the brown-haired boy stuck his tongue out and winked. 

 

“Don’t know if there’ll even be any dates for you to third wheel,” Kuroo responded with a huff.

 

“Well if there are, you know where to find me!”

 

“Yeah. And same. Well, I don’t actually want to third wheel any dates of yours, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

 

“Thanks, Tetsu-chan.”

 

The rest of their time together was spent cracking stupid jokes and chatting about volleyball while they walked around looking at stores and eating various snacks. Oikawa bought himself a little alien keychain and a godzilla one for Iwaizumi.

 

Kuroo noticed an adorable apple pie one as well as one with a black cat. He hesitated, but eventually bought both. He wasn’t sure what he’d do with the apple pie one since it wasn’t like he could just give it to Kenma, but maybe someday he’d be able to. 

 

Then the two boys went to a nearby ice-cream shop and after an hour or two they went back to the train station where they bid adieu. 

 

“I’m home!” Kuroo called out as he entered his house. 

 

“Welcome home, Tetsurou! Dad will be home in a couple of hours,” his mother greeted him. “Did you have fun?”

 

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll be in my room,” Kuroo informed her and then padded to his room, throwing his purchases onto his desk. He turned his computer on and then grabbed a pair of boxers and a clean shirt and headed to the bathroom to take a rejuvenating shower. Finally, after he was clean and toweled dry, he headed back to his desk, holding his breath as he checked skype. 

 

Applepi was online. 

 

Kuroo smiled widely. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hey can you play?

**applepi:** hey sorry, i’m working on homework

 

Kuroo felt his face droop in response. He was so pathetic. He played and spoke with Kenma every single day. One day without wouldn’t kill him, crush or not. Kuroo needed to get over himself. He was just disappointed that the other boy couldn’t play with him. Really, really disappointed.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** aww :( 

**applepi:** but 

 

Kuroo waited expectantly.

 

**applepi:** well

 

**applepi is typing…**

 

Kuroo stared at the words. 

 

**applepi:** um

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ?

 

**applepi is typing…**

 

Kuroo furrowed his brow. 

 

**applepi:** we could talk

**applepi:** i just can’t play 

 

Kuroo gazed at the lines of text, mouth slack with surprise. Kenma would talk with him outside of Fourth World? Wasn’t that a thing that friends did? Well, of course they were friends. They had established that a while ago. Still, this seemed like some sort of milestone in their relationship. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yes!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** that’d be cool

 

Smooth. He was so smooth. Smooth like milk. The smoothest.

 

**applepi is calling you…**

 

“Hey!” Kuroo answered after immediately clicking the green accept button. 

 

“Mm. Hi,” was Kenma’s sleepy response. Kuroo felt giddy.

 

“Homework got you down?” 

 

“Mm. Why is there so much?” Kenma replied. He sounded like he was pouting. Cute.

 

“What do you have to do?”

 

“I have to study for an English test coming up,” Kenma whined. “It’s annoying.” 

 

“Oh? What is the test on?” 

 

“Ugh. We’re working on articles and plurals right now.”

 

“Do you need help?”

 

“Please.”

 

The last word was muttered ever so meekly and rang inside of Kuroo like a church bell. Kuroo would help Kenma anytime the boy needed. Kuroo would probably set aside his own studying and work to help Kenma.

 

After a little past two and a half hours, Kuroo had managed to teach Kenma all about articles and plurals and had also been able to help him with sentence structure a little as well. They had run through several texts, circling out and identifying the different parts. Then, Kenma had worked on his pronunciation by reciting the texts. 

 

Kuroo had always had a bit of a knack for teaching, and he did well in school so he constantly was helping classmates. However, this was the first time that he had genuinely enjoyed it so much. Kenma’s soft, low voice stumbling over English words was probably one of the cutest things he’d ever heard. 

 

Now that he knew he had a raging crush for the other boy, he was free to admit his adoration for every one of Kenma’s quirks and features. There was a lot to adore. 

 

“Thanks, Kuro,” Kenma shyly said at the end of their session when both of them had been called away for dinner.

 

“Anytime. Seriously. I’ll help you anytime you want,” Kuroo stressed the last word. 

 

“Don’t tell me that,” Kenma answered, voice fading away further. 

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because I’d be selfish,” Kenma mumbled quickly.

 

Kuroo felt like his chest had been filled with more balloons than Carl Fredricksen. 

 

“Be selfish,” Kuroo said sincerely, feeling like he was choking. Did his voice sound as strangled as he felt? “Be selfish with me.”

 

Was that last line too much?

 

“Mm,” Kenma grunted. 

 

Kuroo waited.

 

“I’ll be selfish with you.”

 

And Kuroo glowed. 

  
  



	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've started classes again, but there's a time period between classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I took advantage of that to write this next chapter for you all! I hope you enjoy <3

“We’ll head to head to Biolumex for ghost residue. The ghosts over there are probably the easiest mob to grind and the residue sells for a lot,” Kuroo planned. 

 

“Mm,” Kenma absently replied.

 

They were halfway through the luminated ice forest, slashing at gorgeous, transparent, undead ladies when Kuroo thought back.

 

“I should have asked you if you were ok with grinding ghosts today,” Kuroo apologetically said.

 

“It’s fine,” Kenma answered, voice dropping off hesitantly before muttering, “I like it when you take control.”

 

“Oh,” was Kuroo’s strangled response. 

 

After that line, Kuroo had been forced to mute himself while he got rid of the embarrassed coughing that had overtaken him. His face stayed red the rest of their session however, and Kenma’s words had replayed in his head hours after. 

 

From then on, Kuroo tried his best to take on a sort of assuming role when they played games together.

 

“Let’s go to Ingern today,” Kuroo would say confidently. All Kenma had to do in response is hum his assent and come up with a plan.

 

As the two leveled up higher and higher, more and more content opened up for them. New areas for them to explore, new events popping up all over the map, new quests everywhere. They methodically went through each one and at one point they even tried a dungeon run together, joining three other random players in order to complete it. 

 

“I read that the entry mobs do a lot of burst damage off the bat but are pretty easy to kill. The ones in the back have more sustain and the final boss is a long distance poison spitting frog,” Kenma told Kuroo over skype. Kenma gave him a few more tidbits of information about the dungeon, along with some advice.

 

**kurokat:** at first i’ll lead the charge and take aggro, alternating with our other fighter tank

**kurokat:** our healer will go directly behind me

**kurokat:** i want our warrior next to the healer to fend off anyone who slips through

**kurokat:** and the mage will go in the back and fight with long distance spells

**kurokat:** mage do you have any defensive spells?

**necroboy142:** yeah i can switch two abilities for def

**necroboy142:** i have aoe shield and single target heal

**kurokat:** ok awesome

**kurokat:** so that’s our formation up until we reach the room

**kurokat:** in the room i’m going to go up front to the frog sinc ei’m melee

**kurokat:** healer will stay right next to me

**kurokat:** redhart you’re going to primarily tank him from farther away

**kurokat:** mage will stay next to you and warrior will go in during openings 

**kurokat:** good?

**necroboy142:** ok

**redhart:** awesome

**crystalreign:** sounds good

**kurokat:** we need to keep the healer alive. he’s our brain. our mind.

**kurokat:** we’re like the blood in our veins

**kurokat:** we must flow without stopping

**kurokat:** keep the oxygen moving and your mind working

**necroboy142:** nice

**redhart:** damn that’s hype

 

“You’re so embarrassing, Kuro,” Kenma whined. 

 

“It’s encouraging,” Kuroo dismissed.

 

“Where did that even come from?” 

 

“I came up with it on the spot. It sounds good!”

 

“It’s embarrassing…” 

 

“It’s cool,” Kuroo defended. The silence that ensued was laden with judgment. 

 

Needless to say, they completed the dungeon run flawlessly with no deaths. All party members received gold medals and chests with high level, class specific armor as well as gold and a few boosters. The warrior and the other tank even added them and they completed several other dungeons together.

 

“You’re a good leader,” Kenma murmured.

 

“Oh. Thanks,” Kuroo smiled at the compliment.

 

“I bet you’re captain for your volleyball team and student president too,” Kenma continued.

 

“Well. One of those two. Not for long though, since I’ll be a first year next year,” Kuroo said thoughtfully.

 

“I’d like you as my captain.”

 

“What?” Kuroo couldn’t have heard that right.

 

_ Click. _

 

Kenma had hung up on him.

 

**kurokat:** ????

**applepi:** shut up

**kurokat:** ok

 

It had taken a full hour of playing before Kenma had allowed Kuroo to call him back on skype.

 

**applepi:** kuro i need help with maths

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ok, what are you working on?

**applepi:** call me

 

**applepi:** are you busy right now?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** never too busy for you ;)

**applepi:** … 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** sorry what do you need lol

**applepi:** help with english

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ok hold on

 

**applepi:** help me

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** anytime

 

Kenma started asking for Kuroo’s help more and more. First Kuroo was helping one day, and then two, and eventually Kuroo was playing personal tutor nearly every day of the week. He couldn’t say he minded. Not in the slightest. 

 

“And that’s it. I think you’ve got it now,” Kuroo said encouragingly after a particularly long lesson. “Tell me how the quiz goes!”

 

“Ok,” Kenma answered.

 

Silence.

 

Kuroo was about to say goodnight when he heard a little “um”. He waited. Sometimes Kenma needed a little time for whatever he wanted to say. Kuroo was willing to wait. He was always willing to wait. 

 

“Hey, Kuro,” Kenma began.

 

“Yeah, kitten?”

 

“Thanks for helping me out so much,” Kenma said. Kuroo waited some more. He could sense that wasn’t all of it. 

 

“I really like talking to you,” Kenma finally admitted, voice disappearing towards the end as the younger boy melted with embarrassment. Kuroo was pretty sure some otherworldly thing with huge claws had grasped his heart and was clutching it with the desperation of a drowning man. That was how choked he felt. If it wasn’t too cliche to say, Kuroo was pretty sure that the heavens had opened up or something.

 

Kuroo forced himself to calm down and respond, since he didn’t want to let Kenma get any more uncomfortable. 

 

“I love talking to you,” Kuroo injected as much sincerity as he possibly could into that statement. “So I don’t mind helping you with math or science or whatever whenever you want. Even if it’s not school, I like talking to you.”

 

“Yeah, me too,” Did Kenma sound as breathless as Kuroo felt or was that just wishful thinking?

 

That night, it had taken Kuroo a bit to slow his heart down and stop thinking about Kenma. What if Kenma liked guys? What if Kenma liked him back? What if he and Kenma met? What if they became boyfriends? Should Kuroo say anything? What if he was wrong?

 

He really had it bad. So bad.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i have it so bad

**Bokuto Koutarou:** bruh i know

**Bokuto Koutarou:** he totally likes u tho

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** idk 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** lol well i wouldn’t kno i guess

**Bokuto Koutarou:** but it sounds like u have a chance

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i would give u such a chance

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** bruh same

**Bokuto Koutarou:** bruh ily

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ily too bro

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** but really tho i’ve never even met him

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** doubt that we would date or whatever

**Bokuto Koutarou:** so change that? 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** nah it’s too soon

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** besides idk where he lives

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** if he lives super far away i couldn’t see him

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** brok eand no time lol

**Bokuto Koutarou:** sad

**Bokuto Koutarou:** good luck bro im rooting for u

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** thanks bro

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** how’s it goin with hallway boy

**Bokuto Koutarou:** !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Bokuto Koutarou:** !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Bokuto Koutarou:** BRUH I FORGOT TO TELL U

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i was so excited when it happened that i forgot

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i’m so sorry bro i love u i do 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol just tell me what happened

**Bokuto Koutarou:** he

**Bokuto Koutarou:** plays

**Bokuto Koutarou:** VOLLEYBALL

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** dude nice

**Bokuto Koutarou:** isn’t he perfect?????

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah now man up and ask if he wants to practice or something

**Bokuto Koutarou:** no way i don’t even know his name

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you still don’t know his name?? LOL rip

**Bokuto Koutarou:** :( :(

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** bruh i’m sorry good luck

**Bokuto Koutarou:** thx 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** anyways i g2g ttyl

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** bye

 

**Oikawa Tooru:** so i took your advice

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** what advice

**Oikawa Tooru:** i’ve started flirting with iwachan

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i don’t remember giving you that advice

**Oikawa Tooru:** i interpreted things at will

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** well how’s it working out for you?

**Oikawa Tooru:** well the first time he blushed

**Oikawa Tooru:** the second time too

**Oikawa Tooru:** but then he said something like 

**Oikawa Tooru:** “trashykawa don’t treat me like one of those girls”

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah makes sense

**Oikawa Tooru:** you’re taking his siiiiiide???!?!?!!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ? i didn’t even know there were sides in this

**Oikawa Tooru:** there are always sides

**Oikawa Tooru:** anyways idk what to do

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ? stop treating him like you treat the girls

**Oikawa Tooru:** they’re my adoring fans tho!!!

**Oikawa Tooru:** i can’t just……… ignore them!!!!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you can smile and be nice without being a flirt y’know

**Oikawa Tooru:** ??????

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** just watch what you say to them ok?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** and idk maybe treat iwaizumi more special

**Oikawa Tooru:** well… maybe

**Oikawa Tooru:** maybe just this ONCE

**Oikawa Tooru:** you are right

 

Kuroo took a screenshot after they finished talking. That would come in handy for blackmail later.

 

With Kenma acting cuter than ever, and his friends providing sufficient entertainment with their combined, pathetic lack of love lives, Kuroo had a pretty good couple of weeks. He continued to go through school, doing homework, studying for exams, and training especially hard in volleyball as well as helping out his underclassmen. He felt more productive than he ever had in awhile, and he didn’t even feel pressured since he had Kenma, Bokuto, and Oikawa to cheer him up.

 

He even managed to complete a full section of his story quest when Kenma was hanging out with his friend. 

 

Keiz’s best friend in the game was a man named Gavrin. Gavrin had apparently grown up with him and was the son of one of the top three mafia bosses in Geahnbane. The two were raised together with the intentions that each would respectively continue his father’s business and rule a certain part of the underworld together. 

 

“Keiz, you need to be very careful,” Gavrin sternly warned Kuroo’s character.

 

“What are you talking about, Gav?” Keiz asked.

 

“You’ll find out soon. Very soon.”

 

“I’m tired of hearing all these vague lines. They mean nothing to me!” 

 

“Listen, Key, I know you’re frustrated. But I promise you, you really are going to find out what’s going on soon and you’re going to have to choose,” Gavrin sadly announced, reaching out to pull Keiz in for a hug. Kuroo was impressed with how fluid and natural it looked. Keiz reached around to slap at Gavrin’s back.

 

“C’mon Gav, you’re talking like we’re at a funeral or something,” Keiz said, voice going to a fake light heartedness. The voice acting was surprisingly decent.

 

“There will be many funerals to come,” was Gavrin’s solemn response and Keiz’s smile faded into something more pained. Kuroo sighed happily at the animation. Fourth World was so perfect. Well worth the money.

 

“Must there? Will I be able to stop them?” 

 

“No. You cannot stop death.”

 

“But what can I stop? What can I do? Who am I? What’s my role?” Keiz pressed urgently.

 

“Key, I wish I could tell you. I really do. But whatever you choose, know this. I am your brother, through and through. And I will always have your back,” Gavrin shook his head sadly. “But even if my life is on the line, you must promise me that you will choose because of what’s in your heart.”

 

“You are my heart! How could I possibly choose something that would cause your death?” Keiz angrily shouted. Kuroo pursed his lips. The line was good, but definitely a huge catalyst for all of the gay drawings he saw of Gavrin and player’s characters online. He had, at one point, meekly and innocently searched “gavrin” and so much fanfiction and fanart had popped up he was too afraid to look.

 

That’s a lie. He had looked. His favorite fanfiction hadn’t been updated for over two weeks now.

 

“Don’t worry too much. It’s only a slim chance that my life will even be up for discussion,” Gavrin smiled bitterly. “For now though, grab a drink with me like old times.”

 

“How can I enjoy myself knowing that you and I both may be in danger?” Keiz’s face scrunched up in worried frustration. The artwork was so beautiful.

 

“Enjoy yourself knowing that it may be your last moment, Key,” Gavrin finally grinned and the final shot of the scene was of them drinking together.

 

When Kuroo exited the scene, he had received a letter.

 

_ My dearest friend and my closest brother, _

 

_ You will learn of everything soon. Madria is ready to tell you everything. Please listen closely and do not make any rash decisions. Once you have made your decision, come to Urinaham for I will be in the area and I shall know and I shall meet you. I will follow you, no matter the path. _

 

_ Meet Madria in Retyenxerm, under the cobble bridge near Old Square. She will be waiting for you there. Be discreet, for everyone is an enemy now. I wish you the best of luck and good will.  _

 

“Follow me,” the blonde girl said once Keiz reached the cobble bridge. Kuroo directed his character to follow her and then she ducked into what looked like a regular store. They went through the store to the very back bathroom. The girl, Madria, used a special portkey on the bathtub and they climbed through it and into an extravagant bedroom. 

 

“These will be your new quarters, should you choose to accept,” Madria gestured to the large bed, the lush carpeting, the rich curtains, the huge bureau, and the many other decorations spread across the room. 

 

“A pretty room can’t bribe me,” Keiz answered.

 

“It is not the appearance of the room that should sway you, rather the rooms connecting,” Madria clarified.

 

“What are the connecting rooms?”

 

“All in due time. I need to tell you what is going on.”

 

“Please do. I’m sick of you dragging me here and there without even so much of an explanation.”

 

“You must understand that I am on the run. We all are. If I am caught, my death is the least of my worries. I wanted to tell you everything, but it was never the right time. Now it is.”

 

“Then explain.”

 

“The people of Geahnbane are tired of the underworld’s current leadership. In the past, the underworld was carefully maintained and commoner life did not mix with the underworld. However, that has since changed. Right now the rulers are your father, Gavrin’s father, the other two mafia bosses of Geahnbane, the largest weapons retailer from Retyenxerm, and several politicians.

 

They are powerful. Too powerful. They are running amok, and there have been legitimate reports from credible sources that say they’ve been planning to invade other cities and take over. From this fear and anger that has been bottled for years now, rebels have been born. An uprising is coming, Keiz, are you with us or against us?”

 

“Is it so wise to let Gavrin and I, both sons of rulers, know of such things?” 

 

“No. It is a risk. A huge one. But one we are willing to make because if you and Gavrin join us that will boost morale tenfold and will spur on our forces as well as make it easier to recruit.”

 

“If I choose to join you, what happens?” 

 

“You, along with Gavrin, will be a figurehead and will attend our strategy meetings. From there we will decide your roles further.”

 

“And if I refuse?”

 

“Then I kill you, here and now.”

 

  1. **I will join you.**
  2. **I refuse to join you.**
  3. **Give me time to think.**



 

Kuroo looked at the options and chose number one after consideration.

 

“Good,” Madria nodded her head. “You are free to explore this building then and come and go as you please. You should tell Gavrin your choice and then rest. You will need all your strength for the days to come.”

 

And with that she was gone.

  
Kuroo breathed out and logged off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope the ending wasn't too boring for you guys! 
> 
> Also, you guys should message me on tumblr because I love to chat about everything and anything.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i procrastinate so much ahhhhhHHHHHH
> 
> here's chapter eleven

“So you talked to her then?” Gavrin greeted Keiz, holding up a hand to wave as he approached.

 

“I did,” Keiz replied, then glanced around their meeting place. They were standing in a small cave next to the Sea of Wastes in Urinaham. “Is it safe here?”

 

“There are wards,” Gavrin pointed over to a few rune markings. “Nobody can hear or see us.”

 

Keiz nodded.

 

“I decided to join the rebels,” he declared after a second’s pause.

 

“I thought you might,” Gavrin grinned.

 

“Well, my other option was to die,” Keiz chuckled.

 

“I don’t doubt for a second that you could have fought Madria off.”

 

“Well, we were in the rebel headquarters. I was at a disadvantage.”

 

“Had you refused, they would have kept you alive at least for a bit. I would have rescued you,” Gavrin reached out and punched Keiz’s shoulder playfully.

 

“Well, luckily you didn’t have to go through that hassle. I joined. It’s done. I’ve never agreed with my father’s practices anyways. I never asked to be raised in the underworld.”

 

“Do any of us?”

 

“Ha, fair point. Anyways, even if I’m not especially passionate about what they’re pursuing, this will give me purpose, adventure, and will help me learn more about myself and my home.”

 

“It will be difficult,” Gavrin warned.

 

“I know. But that’s a burden I will just have to shoulder.”

 

“You will not shoulder it alone. I am joining you!”

 

“Gavrin, you don’t have to. If your father found out,” Keiz trailed off and looked to the side.

 

“And your father,” Gavrin pointed out. Keiz shook his head once.

 

“This is my path, Gavrin. You have a chance at a life of luxury and comfort. Why would you give that up?”

 

“Why can it not be my path as well? This uprising will affect me as well, you know that. If I do not side with the rebels, then I side with my father and he will send me out for you. I could not bring myself to hurt you in any way, and then I would die by my father’s hand or by one of his men. If I am to die, then let it be by your side and for a noble cause. You are all the luxury and comfort I need. Let me aid you,” Gavrin implored.

 

“Ha. Gay,” Kuroo said out loud.

 

“I cannot control what you do,” Keiz said. “If you insist on joining me, then I would be honored to stand by your side.”

 

“Then it is settled,” Gavrin replied and reached out a hand. Keiz reached out as well and they shook hands firmly.

 

“We should go back to the headquarters,” Keiz told Gavrin, who gestured to Keiz to go ahead.

 

The scene ended.

 

Kuroo went downstairs to drink some water before starting the next part of his story quest. His instructions were to travel to Preacher Vern and receive his quest there.

 

He directed Keiz to the rebel headquarters and navigated to a small room off to the side where a man dressed in all black with brown designs stood. When the cutscene started, Kuroo could see that his face was weathered and covered with scars, expression grim.

 

“You decided to join us! Fantastic! Just what your father would have wanted! Except, not at all! Ha, actually, completely the opposite of that! Stupendous! Anyways, let’s get right to it,” the man jovially said, brightening up into a blinding grin. “You want a mission, dontcha? That’s what you’re here for, right? Then let me give you one! Honestly, we’re gonna start you guys out small, ok? Just a little, itsy bitsy, teeny weeny quest, ok?”

 

“We will complete whatever you give us,” Keiz said confidently.

 

“Wow! How admirable! How brave! What attitude! I love it, oh I love it! How nice it is to be young! Well, I’ll give you your mission then. Nothing too big, just a little favor for the organization, you know?

 

Turns out, one of our spies got captured! And by captured, I mean that someone shot his body full of magic-nullifying lead, dragged him off, and he is probably just getting tortured to the nines! Really, what a tragedy. So sad.

 

Can you imagine? Hooks in his head, peeling his skin, jolts of electricity! Torture, oh, so sad. So very sad! He’s probably miserable! Maybe even dead! Anyways, you should probably check that out. Maybe even rescue him! That’d be ideal,” Preacher Vern laughed.

 

“Well, off you go! Time to infiltrate a heavily armed lair filled with dangerous enemies! Good luck!” the NPC chuckled and then the cutscene ended.

 

The little mail icon had a one next to it.

 

Kuroo clicked it.

 

 **applepi:** play?

 **kurokat:** yeah def

 **kurokat:** perfect timing lol just finished a story segment

 **applepi:** oh nice

 **kurokat:** yeah

 **kurokat:** where are you?

 **applepi:** i’m on an island

 **applepi:** somewhere in the sea of torment

 **kurokat:** i’ll come find you

 **applepi:** you sure? i can just come to you or we can meet somewhere

 **kurokat:** i’ll always come find you ;)

 **kurokat:** also i don’t have that map cleared yet

 **kurokat:** so we can go do some quests and stuff there today

 **applepi:** sounds good

 **applepi:** um, call?

 **kurokat:** yeah

 

Kuroo opened skype and called Kenma.

 

“Hey kitten,” Kuroo purred once Kenma picked up.

 

“Uh, good morning,” Kenma groggily replied, still too tired to say anything scathing about the nickname. Sleepy kitten.

 

“Up before 11 again? I sure feel special,” Kuroo joked.

 

“You are special.”

 

Kuroo’s face went as red as a cherry in the span of seconds. Sure, he was special. Special in the head. And Kenma said he was the embarrassing one.

 

Don’t be weird. Be natural.

 

“You’re my special too.”

 

Why was he such a loser?

 

Kuroo bit his lip.

 

Silence.

 

“Mm,” Kenma finally mumbled. It didn’t sound like a bad “mm”. Nailed it.

 

More silence.

 

“Uh, anyways!” Kuroo interjected, breaking the awkward quiet. Maybe it was just awkward for him. Who knows. “Anyways, I’m on my way to you.”

 

“Ok.”

 

More silence as Kuroo ran over roofs, making his way to the city’s portal center. Then he slipped through the portal to Credd and had to run through a fair bit of wasteland before he hit the Sea of Torment. Looking at his minimap, there were about six islands of varying sizes in the area.

 

“Which island are you on?” Kuroo asked.

 

“The smallest one.”

 

“Ok.”

 

Kuroo started swimming.

 

After a minute or two or fighting through overly aggressive, giant pink jellyfish, and menacing sea snakes, Kuroo reached the island Kenma was on.

 

“I’m here,” he alerted his friend.

 

“I see you,” Kenma answered, and soon enough a blonde elf was walking towards him. Kuroo never failed to find it cute how different the two’s characters looked standing next to each other. Kuroo wondered what it’d look like if Kuroo and Kenma were to stand next to each other in real life. God, he was so pathetic.

“So there’s a quest near us that I passed by, if you want to do that,” Kuroo said.

 

“Mm, yeah, that’s fine,” Kenma yawned.

 

“Tired? I didn’t think I was that boring,” Kuroo teased.

 

“Not tired of you,” Kenma mumbled. Maybe he’s just a romantic or stupid or something, but Kuroo swore he felt his chest swell a little bit.

 

“I wouldn’t let you get tired of me,” Kuroo responded, throat tight. Was that a weird thing to say? DId it come off as creepy? Maybe they were close enough that he could say stuff like that and it was fine.

 

A pause.

 

The silence was killing Kuroo. Should he say something? Should he play it off as a joke? What should he do? Geez, was he always this insecure?

 

“I don’t think I could, honestly,” Kenma finally answered. His voice sounded strained, and the last word was so quiet it was almost a whisper. Kuroo was going to die. He was going to die.

 

“Oh,” Kuroo croaked. “That’s good.”

 

Another pause.

 

More silence.

 

“Quest?” Kenma broke it.

 

“Right. Let’s go.”

 

The two went off to find the nearest quest where the leader of the Quatzlu merpeople tribe sent them off to aid their frontline in an ongoing battle against Lopuauk, an evil mer tribe that lured sailors and the like to their watery deaths. Though, that last part was more of an addendum. Apparently the Quatzlu hated the Lopuauk because once upon a time, long long ago, a Lopuauk kidnapped the Quatzlu princess and eloped with her. In retaliation, Quatzlu had done the same. An eye for an eye.

 

That feud had eventually died down after a few hundred years when the next generation was born. It was peaceful for the span of two generations but as the tribes expanded, more arguments were born. Now, war has broken out between the two over territory issues. Each tribe wants to expand, but there is limited space in the Sea of Torment.

 

The evil part was only to provide a reason why Fourth World players fought for the Quatzlu and not the Lopuauk.

 

So Kuroo and Kenma helped the Quatzlu fight the Lopuauk. The quest continued and they were sent to infiltrate the Lopuauk camp and find war plans. After that, they brought them back to the Quatzlu head commander and then went to go protect the villages. All in all the quest took about an hour and a half to complete and Quatzlu supposedly gained a huge advantage, claiming they no longer needed outside help.

 

It was around this time that Kuroo was called away for breakfast.

 

“Sorry, I have to go eat. I’ll be an hour or so,” Kuroo explained.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“I feel bad that you got on so early and we only got to play for an hour and a half though.”

 

“Mm, I’m just glad I got to talk to you first thing,” Kenma answered.

 

“R-right,” Kuroo choked out. “I-me too.”

 

“Mm,” Kenma let out.

 

“I’ll uh, I’ll talk to you later?” Kuroo asked hopefully.

 

“I’d like that,” Kenma quietly responded.

 

Then they exchanged goodbyes and Kuroo went down for breakfast, floating on air.

 

The food was already on the table, and Kuroo greeted his parents and then immediately served himself a slice of toast, a fried egg, some of the pork, and some of the tomatoes. The sooner he was done eating, the sooner he could get back to Kenma. His parents were already discussing something that didn’t relate to him, so he felt safe in just devouring his food.

 

He didn’t want to keep Kenma waiting.

 

Not that Kenma was waiting for him or anything.

 

Not that he expected Kenma to wait for him.

 

He’d like it if that were the case though.

 

The meal seemed to pass rapidly, and it was only as Kuroo finished off his second egg that he tuned into his parents’ conversation.

 

“I have a conference on Tuesday. I’ll be gone for a week,” his father was saying.

 

Silence.

 

Kuroo’s father was a successful businessman, who had a top position in a rich corporation. His role was very important and often took him to different parts of Japan and even different countries to discuss whatever projects the company was working on.

 

“You’re never home anymore,” Kuroo’s mother commented quietly. Though her tone was soft and her face was neutral, she had a biting undertone.

 

“I’m home right now,” Eiji countered, equally polite on surface. Asuka’s mouth turned down slightly at the corners.

 

“Only to leave for work until night,” Asuka answered. Now Kuroo’s father frowned.

 

“I work hard to support the family,” he said firmly. “I rose up the ranks as quick as I possibly could in order to provide luxuries for you both.”

 

“It’d be nice if you could enjoy the luxuries along with us.”

 

“If I did that, there would be no luxuries to speak of,” Eiji took a bite of pork.

 

“Why can’t you ask for more time off?”

 

“Do you want me to lose my job?”

 

“You work so hard already.”

 

“And that bothers you?”

 

“No, it bothers me that your work schedule takes up all of your time.”

 

“I keep telling you that it’s for the family.”

 

“You don’t see your wife and you don’t see your son anymore.”

 

“I’m seeing you both right now, aren’t I?”

 

“It’s not enough. Tetsurou needs his father home more,” Asuka’s voice began to sound tight.

 

“Tetsurou is a good, smart kid. He knows I care for him and that I’m very proud of him,” Eiji cut into his egg.

 

“But he misses you,” Kuroo’s mother pleaded.

 

“Tetsurou understands responsibility!” Eiji said, a bit louder now.

 

“What, and I don’t?” Asuka narrowed her eyes.

 

“I didn’t say that.”

 

“You implied it!”

 

Kuroo quietly stood up from the table, mumbled a thanks to his mother for cooking, and took his dishes into the kitchen where he washed them as fast as he could before heading upstairs.

 

As he walked up, he caught the tail end of his parents’ discussion.

 

“You have no idea how hard it’s been on us,” his mother was saying.

 

“Says the woman who just cooks, cleans, and watches television all day! I’m working hours upon hours overtime every day. How hard do you think it’s been on me?”

 

“How dare you call me lazy!”

 

“You keep misinterpreting everything I say just so you can rile yourself up over it, why don’t you just listen to me?”

 

Kuroo reached his room and entered.

 

“Why don’t you ever listen to me? If you were here more, maybe you’d understand.”

 

“I don’t know what you want me to do! This is Japanese work culture! I can’t request days off.”

 

Kuroo shut his door.

 

Kuroo sat at his computer, emptily staring at his screen. His eyes moved to the bottom right corner.

 

9:00 a.m.

 

He opened up skype.

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** hey actually i just realized that i have a ton of work to do

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** i really need to finish it before monday

 **applepi:** ok

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** sorry i wish i could talk to you. tomorrow?

 

He wished he could talk to Kenma.

 

 **applepi:** it’s fine

 **applepi:** talk to you tomorrow

 **applepi:** bye

 **Kuroo Tetsurou:** bye

 

After he turned his computer off, he stared at the black screen for a couple more seconds. Then he stood up, turned off the lights, and got into bed.

  
And then Kuroo slept.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, guys? I got to 100 pages on google docs? ! I AM OFFICIALLY AT 100 PAGES OF THIS!!!!!! Thank you guys SO much for supporting me through this and all your encouragement because I would never have gotten this far without all of the wonderful comments <3
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Breakfast the next morning was quiet.

 

Too quiet.

 

Sometimes quiet is nice. Sometimes quiet is desirable. There’s something almost comforting and soothing in quiet. The quiet of lying on the bed, where the only noise is the breeze of the wind or the dance of the rain. The quiet of sitting on a bench in a park, where the only noise is the crinkle of paper as a book page is turned or the sway of the grass and trees surrounding. The quiet of skype calls when nobody speaks but there’s someone on the other side of the line somewhere in the world, where the only noise is the occasional static or rustle of clothing. 

 

Those quiets were among the best of the quiets that exist in the world. 

 

Those quiets were cozy.

 

This quiet was not.

 

This quiet was torturous. This quiet threatened to never end, to just slowly strangle everyone unfortunate enough to be caught up in it. Every clink of eating utensil against plate or bowl was eerily deafening. Aggression read in every served ladle of soup or scoop of rice. The silence was so thick that Kuroo felt like he was choking. 

 

His parents avoided each other’s eyes in every possible way. His mother gave his father less food than usual. His father read a newspaper at the table, opening it up loudly and glaring at the tiny, black letters.

 

Kuroo finished his rolled egg, rice, and soup as quickly as he possibly could and grabbed the lunch his mother had prepared for him and then ran out the door, wishing his parents goodbye and good day. The fresh air embraced him and he gasped with the relief of leaving the stony silence behind. 

 

He took deep breath after breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. 

 

He was outside, but he still felt like he was choking. 

 

Inhale.

 

Exhale. 

 

Kuroo stopped running and leaned over, placing his hands on his knees to take deeper breaths. He felt like a fish out of water, with how hard he was gasping. He felt so constricted. He needed help. He needed an ambulance. Was this what heart attacks felt like? What was happening?

 

Inhale. Inhale more.

 

Exhale. 

 

Inhale.

 

Exhale.

 

Kuroo’s face felt wet. Were those tears or sweat? Both? Just sweat. Kuroo felt cold. Clammy. Calm down. Clam down. Heh.

 

The claws around his heart and throat loosened up a fraction.

 

Inhale. 

 

Exhale.

 

Calm down. 

 

Kuroo shakily straightened up, carefully wiped his eyes and face, and then stretched his arms above his head. One more deep breath. He could do this.

 

Kuroo began running again.

 

He missed the bus. 

 

He was late to class.

 

His teacher gave him a disapproving look as he slinked into class and Kuroo shot her a sheepish smirk, which only slightly mollified her.

 

She started the lesson.

 

Kuroo would never call himself a genius by any means. Maybe he actually was or wasn’t in something, but he wouldn’t consider himself one. He didn’t have a photographic memory, he couldn’t make up the perfect strategy or plan in a second, he could figure out the solution in a split second. Still, he was pretty smart and could usually, easily follow a lesson plan.

 

From the moment his teacher started her lecture, Kuroo was lost. And he kept being lost. The teacher would say something and he would try to understand what she was saying but for some reason nothing made sense. He felt like he had an opaque veil covering his eyes and everything was just hitting the veil. What was she talking about? Did she already teach this? Did he forget to read a section of the book he was supposed to? 

 

Kuroo had never felt so confused.

 

He looked around.

 

Everybody looked comfortable, almost bored with the material. 

 

Just him then.

 

It was usually the opposite. His classmates were always coming up to him asking to see his notes or asking about the lecture. Nearly every single one of his peers had received an impromptu lesson from him at least once. 

 

There was no way Kuroo was going to raise his hand to ask for clarification or nudge a friend to ask for help. 

 

He had too much foolish pride, damn him. 

 

Hours passed and Kuroo continued to feel like he was drowning in information that he couldn’t decipher. Every single one of his teacher’s sentences seemed to pummel his head until he found himself suffering a painful headache come lunch break. 

 

During lunch break he found himself alone, surrounded by people yet not approached by a single one. 

 

Kuroo figured he was driving people off with his probable scowl and dark aura.

 

That didn’t mean he still didn’t feel a little lonely.

 

He slowly ate his boiled carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and eggs at his desk. Each mouthful tasted like paste and it took considerable effort to swallow each mouthful before the food dropped into his stomach like stones. He felt so, so heavy.

 

The heavy feeling only continued as lunch ended and his teacher began to lecture again.

 

Kuroo felt so dizzy.

 

The rest of the school day passed quickly. Kuroo only barely managed to withstand it.

When the teacher announced the next exam was coming up in a week, it took all he had to keep himself from keeling over and passing out. Or getting up and hitting something and screaming. Both felt like viable options. The screaming probably wouldn’t help his headache though.

 

Luckily, there wasn’t any volleyball practice that day. Kuroo couldn’t quite remember why. He was glad for it though. Aside from feeling ill already, Kuroo really didn’t want to see his underclassmen. He really didn’t want to teach Yoshi about the duties of being the volleyball captain. It wasn’t like he didn’t like his underclassmen or Yoshi. It was just that it reminded him too much that he was going to be a first year soon, bottom of the totem pole.

 

So Kuroo just went straight home. His mother welcomed him back. His father had left for the conference a day early. Asuka’s mouth seemed a little tight around the edges. Kuroo tried to smile warmly at her, but it fell a little flat so he just hurried upstairs and took some pain meds while he booted up his computer.

 

**applepi:** you home yet?

 

Kuroo stared at his screen, hesitating to type.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah

**applepi:** fourth world?

 

He wasn’t sure he could play a game right now, he felt so stressed. His head hurt too. He didn’t want to force Kenma to deal with him like this. He was pathetic. He had to study anyways.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** sorry have to study

 

While he waited for a response, Kuroo went to grab his textbooks and notes.

 

**applepi:** ok

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** sorry ttyl

**applepi:** ttyl

 

Kuroo reluctantly closed skype.

 

He worked hard. Each and every problem was a challenge. He couldn’t focus. None of the solutions made sense. The book didn’t explain certain steps. 

 

Kuroo wondered if something was wrong with his brain. With him.

 

Dinner was a quiet affair. More boiled vegetables and eggs. Kuroo swallowed it down, thanked his mother for the food, washed his dishes, and walked upstairs.

 

He looked longingly at his computer.

 

He grabbed his textbook.

 

It was around midnight when he finally set his book down. His headache had only worsened. He still didn’t have a solid grasp on the topic. The exam was next week. 

 

Tuesday came and went.

 

Kuroo didn’t understand that lecture either.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** sorry studying

**applepi:** ok

 

He went to sleep at one in the morning.

 

Wednesday.

 

His lessons were alright. Volleyball practice. The underclassmen were rowdy. Nothing got done. Frustrating.

 

He overheard his mother arguing with his father. Terse, loud words. 

 

**applepi:** more studying?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah sorry

 

Kuroo didn’t study that night.

 

He slept at six in the evening. He woke up four times throughout the night. 

 

Thursday.

 

Review day in class. Kuroo still didn’t fully understand some of the concepts. He worried about how he’d do on the test.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** studying sorry

**applepi:** it’s fine

 

It wasn’t fine.

 

Kuroo wasn’t fine.

 

It was Friday when he finally broke down.

 

Lecture had been beyond awful. Volleyball had been just as. He came home as his mother was screaming into a phone. There was money on his desk to go out to the store to buy himself something for dinner. 

 

He sat on his bed, surrounded by that quiet. The bad quiet. The quiet that threatened to trap him into silence forever, suffocating him slowly. Kuroo was going to die like this. The only sounds in the room were his breathing and his heartbeat. 

 

Before he knew it, Kuroo was gasping for air. He couldn’t get enough air. The boy jerked his hands up to clutch his chest where a sudden, tight pain had blossomed. He felt so constrained. He really was going to suffocate, he was. 

 

Two minutes went by.

 

Tears streamed down the teenager’s face as he took gulp after gulp of air. His head felt so fuzzy. His vision was blurry, everything was swimming around and melting into too bright, too colorful goop. Kuroo collapsed on his bed and curled up into a ball, shaking.

 

Shaking.

 

Four minutes. 

 

He could breathe a little easier. The pain in his chest hadn’t gone away. Kuroo tried to take deep breaths.

 

Inhale.

  
Exhale.

 

Five minutes.

 

Everything was so loud and bright. Why was everything so loud and bright?

 

Kuroo shoved his face into his pillow and curled the sides up over his ears.

 

Six minutes.

 

Kuroo sobbed. Twice.

 

Pathetic.

 

Seven minutes.

 

He took a shaky breath and sniffled into his pillow. Gross. 

 

Eight minutes.

 

He sat up.

 

The black-haired boy mechanically walked into his bathroom. His face was flushed. Tear tracks. Snot. He washed his face. Dried it. Used the toilet. Washed his hands. Inhale. Exhale. Walked back to his room. Sat down at his desk. Stared at his computer screen. Black. 

 

Kuroo turned his computer on. 

 

He should study.

 

He should study.

 

Kenma would ask if he was going to study again.

 

He would say yes.

 

**applepi:** hey kuro

**applepi:** are you alright?

 

Kenma didn’t ask if he was going to study again.

 

**applepi:** idk if this is out of bounds or something

**applepi:** but i’m worried about you

 

Kenma was worried about him.

 

He didn’t deserve it.

 

Kuroo was fine. He was fine. He would tell Kenma he was fine. 

 

He typed it out.

 

**applepi:** if you say you’re fine i won’t press it

**applepi:** but i miss you

 

He stared at his message.

 

**applepi:** i know you’re online and i know you’re reading this

**applepi:** if you tell me you’re fine i’ll leave it alone

**applepi:** but if you say anything else

**applepi:** if you don’t say anything at all

**applepi:** then i’m going to assume that you’re not ok and i’m going to call

 

Kenma would call him?

 

Kuroo wasn’t sure he could handle that. He had just gotten over his stupid meltdown. Was his breathing under control? Could he even speak? Would his voice even work?

 

Press enter. Press it. Press the enter key. Send the message. Tell Kenma he was fine. Tell him. 

 

**applepi is calling you…**

 

“Kuro,” Kenma softly greeted him after he accepted the call.

 

Kuroo opened his mouth but no sound came out. He tried again.

 

“Kenma,” Kuroo rasped. He sounded like a chainsmoker. 

 

“You sound awful,” Kenma fondly told him. 

 

“Mm, I know,” Kuroo agreed, chuckling a little. 

 

Silence. 

 

“I don’t really want to talk, but,” Kuroo paused. He could almost feel Kenma’s question in the ensuing quiet. The black-haired teen licked his lips and took a deep breath. “Could you just talk? About anything? I like your voice.”

 

More silence.

 

Kuroo was about to tell Kenma to forget it or laugh it off or something but just as he was about to croak something out Kenma began to talk.

 

“I played this new game called Tree Life. It was on Steam for three dollars. Less, actually. It had really good reviews. Both recent and overall were good. I read through a few and everyone said they liked it. The description of the game was really short and there wasn’t a gameplay video or screenshots or anything. It was weird. I bought it anyways, since I could just return it if I didn’t like it. So I downloaded it and opened it and got to the menu screen and pressed play. 

 

Kuroo, you play as a fucking tree. You are literally a tree. You can’t move or anything. You just sit there and watch as birds make nests in your body. Then a witch comes and grants you the ability to talk and basically you spend the game talking with animals and then humans come and you can try to persuade them to do things like build rivers near your tree body. It’s ridiculous,” Kenma rambled. Kuroo had never heard Kenma say so much by himself and gratefully sunk down, closed his eyes, and let himself enjoy it.

 

“So I returned it and then bought a game called Whale Life. It’s made by the same company. You play as a whale and swim around. The main purpose of the game is to explore, which makes sense because the graphics are really nice. They really got the lighting in the water spot on. There are lots of fish and dolphins and sharks and turtles and stuff and you can even meet a mermaid. I spent maybe three hours on that game, just swimming around,” Kenma continued. Kuroo could feel his body relaxing. His headache seemed less awful too. Everything seemed less awful. 

 

“I also returned that game, since I probably won’t play it again. I was going to play another game or go to the store and buy something for my handheld but then my friend dragged me off to practice volleyball. I don’t remember what I’ve told you about that, but we’re definitely joining next year. I think I’m going to play setter. Tossing is the easiest for me and I’m not very strong physically or that tall so I don’t think I’d be that great at spiking or blocking. Setter is the easiest role for me,” Kenma said. Kuroo chuckled soundlessly. That was so Kenma. Picking a position because it was the easiest. He could see it though. Kenma was so analytical and smart that if he had the skills and precision, he’d make a great setter.

 

Kenma continued to talk and bit by bit Kuroo felt all of his stress melt away like chocolate on a hot summer day.

 

It was after ten more minutes of Kenma speaking about his classes that Kuroo finally spoke up. 

 

“I’m going to get on Fourth World,” Kuroo opened up the application. 

 

“Ok,” Kenma replied. 

 

Kuroo still had a lot of studying to do if he wanted to get a good grade on his upcoming exam, but for now he could spare some time to have fun. He opened up the game, double clicking on Keiz’s character slot. For the rest of the night Kuroo and Kenma played Fourth World, questing, completing puzzles, and exploring. Kenma still talked about random bits of his week, and Kuroo managed to talk a little as well but there was mostly quiet.

 

The good quiet.

 

The quiet of a comfortable companionship. The quiet of two people who understand that there doesn’t always have to be chatter for things to be alright, even if sometimes it may desperately be needed. Now that Kuroo felt better, the quiet wasn’t so stifling. It also helped that it wasn’t all silence. Even if they weren’t talking, Kuroo could always hear Kenma steadily breathing, reminding him that he wasn’t alone.

 

“Hey Kenma,” Kuroo softly broke the silence. 

 

“Mm?” 

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Anytime.” 

 

And Kuroo felt that everything was going to be alright. Kenma had made everything alright. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter lazily dedicated to aviandemigod for her birthday <3 
> 
> Sorry this took me so long to get out! I tore a disc in my spine so I can't sit and could barely move and my laptop charger broke so I couldn't get my hands on anything I could type on for a while. I hope you guys enjoy. It might seem a little fast transition wise between moods, but I'm kind of writing from my own experience where I remember being alright one moment and then one little thing just swung it all around and all of a sudden I just wanted to cry.
> 
> Also, if any of you need someone to talk to or someone to talk to you just message me on tumblr or here. If you need to rant about school or parents or loneliness or whatever it is that's bothering you then I'm down for that. If you need someone to just talk endlessly about their day or about mermaids or whatever then I'm also down for that. If you just want someone to chat with about whatever than I'm down for that too. Like, I can't offer much because I'm just a broke college student stranger online but if you need someone who can tell you it's alright or who can tell you the various myths of mermaids or whatever then I can be there for you (if that's not presumptuous of me to say). Anyways, I love you guys and thanks for reading <3

Although a kind friend’s words can have a huge effect on one’s psyche and can help and heal, unfortunately, an hour or two of talking often cannot completely crush feelings of desolation and dispiritedness.  

 

Depression. Drowning. Death.

 

These words seemed to course through his night scenes, providing scenes of sweat inducing terror with high seas that rolled around restlessly and screams that pierced the black night. Needless to say, Kuroo did not get a very good night’s sleep.

 

Kuroo woke up heavy. Limbs heavy, eyes heavy, heart heavy. Last night had been a reprieve but the weight of the present time bore down on the teenager without his friend’s soothing voice carrying him through. Now there was only the quiet and the too bright of morning screaming at him.

 

Saturday.

 

Kuroo sighed and closed his eyes, stretching his arms and legs out. 

 

He felt tired. So tired. 

 

He was tired of his parents arguing, he was tired of boiled vegetables and eggs, he was tired of school. There wasn’t much Kuroo wasn’t tired of.

 

Kuroo felt like a hundred kilogram stone sinking into his mattress. Sinking through. He breathed in. Breathed out. Breathed in. Breathed out.

  
He repeated this ritual a couple times over until he finally forced himself to sit up. Get up. Wipe the sleep from his eyes.

 

He slowly stumbled through his room, turning on his computer before grabbing fresh briefs, a black shirt, and a pair of jeans. Clothes in hand, Kuroo shuffled to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

 

Stepping into the warm water rejuvenated him and seemed to lighten his load of gloom and cleanse him of the cloud of blue funk that wafted around his body. Kuroo stayed an extra five minutes in the shower, enjoying the pitter patter of water. Every drop against his skin felt like a direct injection of energy. Once clean, Kuroo felt fresh and awakened and everything was just a little better.

 

What was even better than the little better was logging onto his computer and finding a skype message from Kenma. The other teen must have sent it while Kuroo was asleep. 

 

**applepi:** i hope you’re ok

 

Kuroo smiled.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i think i’ll be ok thanks

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** just tired of bullshit

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** :/ 

 

He checked the time. 

 

8:11 a.m.

 

Kenma probably wouldn’t be online for a little bit so Kuroo opened up Fourth World. 

 

Warm sunlight filtered through thick and thin, silver and green branches that weaved and arched over one another, all while forming a covered path through the dense forest. Blues, greens, yellows, pinks, purples- every color of the rainbow and more shone here or glowed there. Flowers and mushrooms the size of trees loomed ahead, while starry grasses lined the ground.

 

The sky was a myriad of rich magenta and turquoise hues and gorgeous, wispy dandelions and leaves floated around Kuroo’s character as he made his way through Deia Way, Gavrin close behind. Scenery like this justified Kuroo’s choice to buy the overly expensive, but oh so big and oh so high resolution desktop computer screen. 

 

“So, the old man says that the lair is deep underground near Opalnaem,” Gavrin’s deep, gravelly voice informed Keiz. “I asked a… friend and he told me the exact location so all that’s left to do is decide our approach.”

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

“You know me, I’m all about circling around. I bet we could find an alternate, less used entrance and ambush whoever’s there.” 

 

“As opposed to rushing the front?”

 

“Precisely. Though, if you were feeling partial towards dress up, we could try to disguise ourselves.”

 

“We should try that for regardless of where we enter. It’ll give us an edge.”

 

“Of course. We’re close though, so you should make a decision soon about where we’re entering from.”

 

 

  * ****Find an alternate entrance****


  * **Go through the front**



 

 

Kuroo stared at the choices before choosing the first one.

 

“C’mon Gav, it’s like you don’t know me at all. You know I’m sneakier than just charging head on,” Keiz chuckled. 

 

“Of course. Let’s find an opening,” Gavrin smiled and Kuroo headed off to try to find that opening. Of course it wasn’t too difficult. In fact, it was actually relatively easy as the game highlighted five areas that were possible openings. The first one was a murky swamp near the hideout where Kuroo drew aggro from a large reptilian creature called a Xet and had to spend a whole forty seconds to kill it. The second opening was on the side surrounded by tall, dark green grass. Two humongous mosquito monster things attacked him there and another fifty seconds were wasted demolishing them. Third time's the charm though and Kuroo just had to swim under the nearby lake to find it.

 

“I think I found it,” Keiz reported back to Gavrin. 

 

“Alright. I’m going to go ahead and scout. You wait nearby for my signal,” Gavrin instructed. Kuroo yawned through the rest of the dialogue. He sleepily led his character to the designated hiding spot amongst some floating green stuff he hesitated to call seaweed in the lake. It was only five or so seconds before Gavrin’s head poked out of the hole and the NPC beckoned him over.

 

“Four guards are milling around and several others are farther back. Think we can deal with them all?” Gavrin reported.

 

“Is that a legitimate question?” Keiz replied, scoffing. Gavrin shook his head, grinning. 

 

“Lead on.”

 

The quest was easy. The enemies quickly died and the prisoner was in a fairly obvious place. 

 

“Help! Please, help me! Where am I? Who’s there? I won’t tell you anything! You can all die and rot in hell, you disgusting Haezerk pigs!” The captured man cried wildly from his cage. There was a bloody cloth tied around his eyes and his hands were bound. Kuroo right clicked, bringing up the choice box to free him before clicking it. The screen dissolved into a cut scene. 

 

“Who are you? What are you doing? Where are you taking me? I said I won’t tell you morons anything!” The man shouted.

 

“We’re friends. You can choose to believe us or not, but we’re here to rescue you and bring you back to the resistance organization,” Gavrin calmly explained. 

 

“How do I know I can trust you?” The blinded spy asked.

 

“You can’t. Not until we reach headquarters. However, we must hurry. It won’t be long until more enemies arrive,” Keiz said. 

 

“How do I know you won’t just torture me more and kill me?” 

 

“Well, either way you’d be getting tortured and killed, so would it really matter who did it?” Gavrin asked.

 

“I… suppose you’re right,” the spy answered distrustfully but shakily stood up, ending the cut scene. 

 

Kuroo was prompted to guide the spy and Gavrin back to headquarters and after four or five minutes of running and killing various enemies that blocked their way they made it back to the NPC who originally gave them the quest.

 

“Wow! He looks absolutely awful! I’m amazed you two managed to bring him back alive,” the man happily exclaimed. 

 

“R-Reinzerd?” The rescued spy asked. 

 

“Indeed, my dear fellow! You look truly awful, you must have been tortured a lot! You must tell me all about it later. You are a sight for sore eyes, not that you have any! Looks like you’re going to be blind for a good while, my friend! For now, we need to get you to the hospital! Also, good job you two on your first mission. Now, off you go!”

 

And with that, the quest ended and Kuroo found a chest added to his inventory. Upon opening it he received a handful of weapons that were unusable by his class, a few crafting materials, and a couple of runes used to enchant weapons and armor. He had finished sorting his inventory and was about to open up the next part of his story when he heard his phone’s notification sound.

 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** hey

 

Kuroo hesitated to answer. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to stop moping around yet. He loved Bokuto, but the guy was so energetic and jovial and Kuroo wasn’t sure if he really had the energy. The black-haired boy stared at his phone screen. He was still sad, still stressed, still pent up with frustration and forlornness and feelings that he still hadn’t quite deciphered. But last night he had talked to Kenma. And today he had woke up on time and showered.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hey

**Bokuto Koutarou:** what’s up

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** just playing fourth world

**Bokuto Koutarou:** lol nerd

 

Kuroo chuckled.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol original insult

**Bokuto Koutarou:**  i’ll have u kno that i worte that with the utmost

**Bokuto Koutarou:** the UTMOSt amount of fondness for u

**Bokuto Koutarou:** like a “u cute lil cat let me pet u stupid thing”

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ? did you just call cats stupid? 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** no i’m calling hypothetical cat u stupid

 

Lately, Kuroo was feeling pretty stupid. He didn’t tell Bokuto that.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** boy i wonder who scored a perfect 120 on the toefl

**Bokuto Koutarou:** shut up

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** and i wonder who it was that scored a 101

**Bokuto Koutarou:** shut up

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** and i wonder who has consistently scored

**Bokuto Koutarou:** ok ok i get it u are perfect and so smart u sneaky cat

**Bokuto Koutarou:** u can shut up lol

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ok lol i’m done

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** so what did you want loser 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i wanted to see if you wanted to hang out soon

**Bokuto Koutarou:** it’s been a while since we’ve hung out and

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i need to put u in ur place in a match before we grad 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol keep dreaming

**Bokuto Koutarou:** p sure my team beat urs last match? ? 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** shut up

**Bokuto Koutarou:** so what do u say? let’s hang out!

 

He couldn’t brood forever. Not healthy.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** mmm i think i can pencil you in

**Bokuto Koutarou:** sick. u free tomorrow? 

 

That was so soon.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** yeah

**Bokuto Koutarou:** ramen place at 12? then the park?

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** it’s a date ;)

**Bokuto Koutarou:** cool see ya

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** bye

 

Kuroo was going to be alright.

 

Kuroo was not going to be alright. When he headed down for breakfast, the first thing he heard was his mother hissing into the phone. Another argument with father. Kuroo quietly peeked at the table. Boiled eggs. Boiled vegetables. Rice. Plain miso soup. He grimaced.

 

“Maybe I keep bringing it up because it’s important!” Asuka said, voice strained with frustration.

 

Silence.

 

“Is that what you think of me? A nagging, dowdy housewife?! Maybe you’d like to hear what I think of you!”

 

Kuroo went back upstairs.

 

**applepi:** bullshit? 

 

Kuroo stared at the message. That bottled up feeling seemed to pulse within him, pent up frustration and despondency practically throbbing in his core. Kenma had quieted it the night before, calming and comforting Kuroo in his time of need. Now, Kuroo could feel the bile in the back of his throat threatening to overflow once again.

 

He needed to get it off his chest. He wasn’t stubborn enough to deny that or masochistic enough to force himself to stay silent any longer. Kenma was a good person. A good friend. He’d understand.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** my parents have been arguing a lot recently

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** I’ve been struggling in school and volleyball too

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** I’m anxious about going to high school next year and the future

 

Looking at his messages, he felt dumb for how he acted the day before. He sounded like such a baby. He wasn’t even dealing with anything life threatening or that dramatic. He was being so pathetic. There were people out there who probably were being physically abused or starving and here he was complaining about his parents arguing and not automatically knowing everything in class.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** idk it’s stupid

 

He felt so stupid. So pathetic.

 

**applepi is typing…**

 

He waited.

 

His fingers itched to type more nonsense about how how stupid he was, how pathetic, how small. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** it’s nothing really. i shouldn’t even be complaining lol

 

**applepi is typing…**

 

Kuroo sighed and tried to shake all his negativity away.

 

**applepi:** i read somewhere that sadness and any feeling really isn’t

**applepi:** a quantifiable thing

**applepi:** what i mean is that just because someone is suffering more than you

**applepi:** doesn’t invalidate your own feelings

**applepi:** i think that it’s probably really difficult to deal with

**applepi:** hearing your parents argue

**applepi:** and school and sport stress is very real

**applepi:** i don’t think that you should feel obligated to feel any worse

**applepi:** than you already do

**applepi:** sorry i’m not very good at talking or um

**applepi:** i’m not good at this sorry

**applepi:** you’re a really good person though. you’re really smart and

**applepi:** you’re really capable and strong and you’re going to be fine

**applepi:** i fully believe that you’re going to push through anything and everything

**applepi:** and you deserve to be happy and not have to deal with so much stress

**applepi:** and it’s ok to be stressed and to feel sad. i don’t want you to be but

**applepi:** don’t make yourself feel worse by stressing out over feeling sad or stressed

**applepi:** if that makes any sense at all… 

**applepi:** you don’t have to be strong all the time is what i’m trying to say

**applepi:** i wish you the best of luck with everything and if you need anything

**applepi:** anything i can offer

**applepi:** then just ask because you’re 

 

Pause.

 

**applepi:** i care about you

**applepi:** uh anyways i don’t know what else to say i’m sorry i’m not good at this

**applepi:** sorry if that wasn’t waht wanted to hear 

 

Kenma’s awkward, heartfelt words coursed through Kuroo’s body and vibrated in his heart. The brunette felt like burying his head into a pillow or laughing or something. Something. He felt lighter than he had in weeks. If last night Kenma had eradicated the bad quiet from his head, then today he had managed to drain the heavier dregs of depression. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** no that was perfect that was just what i needed

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i really care about you too so the same goes for you

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** thanks though. for last night and now. 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i think i just needed to get it off my chest and be told that

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** it’s ok to not be perfect all the time

 

Kuroo smiled. Kenma seemed to make him do that a lot. Maybe an hour or two of talking couldn’t completely cure one of cheerlessness, but continued exposure definitely helped at times. He felt so much lighter.

 

**applepi:** obviously. you’re not superman

 

He felt so light in fact that

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i could be your superman ;)

 

**applepi is typing…**

 

**applepi:** i’m not going to say i could be your lois lane because 

**applepi:** i don’t like dealing with people so i definitely don’t want to be a journalist

**applepi:** and also because i want to be able to save you too

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hmmm

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** we could be mutual supermen

 

Throughout Kenma’s response Kuroo had been crazy grinning like a madman and with his own ending line he couldn’t help himself and cracked up. After cackling for a good minute or two he schooled his face into something more somber and hit the call button.

 

“You must be Kryptonite, because being around you makes my knees weak,” Kuroo said once Kenma had picked up.

 

Pause.

 

“That’s going to make being mutual supermen difficult because,” Kenma’s voice dropped off towards the end as he mumbled the rest. “You’re my Kryptonite too.” 

  
  
  
  



	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is ass and was absolutely ass to write and I'm sorry that the quality is ass. I've been procrastinating putting this chapter out because of some personal shit and school and work and stuff. Anyways, I hope to get back into the routine of posting somewhat regularly. I have big plans!
> 
> Anyways, I hope all you lovelies are alright with this chapter. I'm so sorry it took so long to get out and I'm sorry that it's not that great :(
> 
> I would really like to know what you guys think about the fourth world story bits. I know that I sometimes write a lot just about Keiz and the story quest, and if that's boring then please tell me so I can shorten those parts! And if you really like those parts, then also please tell me so I feel like I'm not just wasting your time. To be honest, I really like Fourth World and I'm having a lot of fun creating it and writing lore and stuff for it. I've even been considering writing a super duper small visual novel focused on it if that's something that any of you would be interested in at all. 
> 
> Anyways, sorry for writing so fucking much in notes yikes

 

Kuroo woke up with the beginnings of the headache at exactly 9:00 a.m. 

 

He groaned, taking a couple of breaths and waiting ten minutes or so before reluctantly rolling out of bed to grab a painkiller and some water. Almost immediately after stepping out of his room to head to the bathroom, he heard his mother's voice. 

 

"I don't know why I even bother sometimes," Asuka's quiet voice rang loud and true all the way upstairs to Kuroo. He paused a second to hear her second line, "You don't even care."

 

Kuroo grimaced, a familiar heavyness settling over him. His mother continued to argue with his father and he tried to tune it out best he could and rushed to the bathroom to down his painkillers before retreating to his room and booting up his computer.

 

If he occupied himself fast enough then he could divert his attention to whatever he was doing and not dwell on his parents arguing. 

 

He loaded up Fourth World and once he was logged in and staring at his character model, he noticed his mail icon blinking. He hoped it was Kenma. It wasn't.

 

_ My dear friend, _

 

_ Urgent news. Meet me in Credd. I will be where the old tavern once stood. Be careful of the rodents. _

 

_ Gavrin _

 

"The rodents. Although there are many enhanced and dangerous rodent creatures roaming around, I am sure he means to make sure nobody tails me," Keiz's voice rang out, echoing as it did whenever he was thinking something instead of saying it. The story quest popped up with an instruction.

 

_ Check for rats. _

 

On his minimap, six locations started glowing close by. Kuroo ran to each one in turn. The first and second location didn't reveal anything but once Kuroo checked a bush, four enemies leaped out at him. It wasn't a particularly easy or difficult fight and after a while he emerged victorious. 

 

_ Meet Gavrin in Credd.  _

 

Kuroo located the nearest city with a portal center and then headed to Credd, landing in the outskirts. After thirty or forty seconds of running, he arrived in the decimated town of Credd. After a little bit of searching, he found the sign for the old tavern and walked to the center of the building, prompting a cut scene. 

 

"You look a little lost, friend" Gavrin smirked, walking out into the open.

 

"I feel a little lost," Keiz answered.

 

"How goes it? Any rat infestations?"

 

"A couple. Nothing I couldn't handle. Why have you called me?"

 

"What, can't a man want to see his good friend sometimes?" Gavrin chuckled. Even after all this time of playing Fourth World, Kuroo still marveled at the smooth character animations. 

 

"Of course, but I would imagine we would meet at a standing tavern, not in the middle of Credd of all places."

 

"That is a true point, and we will drink together soon. But for now, there is trouble brewing on the horizon," Gavrin's face turned grave. "You know of the Sea of Torment, of course?"

 

"Only been there a couple of times, mostly just passing through to reach somewhere more desirable. I believe I helped out some merpeople there once," Keiz answered. Kuroo was impressed that the game remembered that he had finished that quest. Or maybe the game didn't remember and it was just part of the dialogue. If it really was referencing his early quest that he had completed with Kenma, then it was pretty cool.

 

"Most likely the Quatzlu tribe. Well, you're about to be there a lot more than you'll probably like," Gavrin informed Kuroo's character.

 

"And why is that?"

 

"Do you know the history of the Sea of Torment?" Gavrin asked. Keiz shook his head and Gavrin started explaining. "Long ago it was actually called the Sea of Storms but that all changed. Merpeople lived there, though at the time they were just one tribe and finfolk also lived in the waters. I believe they were the last tribe of finfolk. They were humanoid, but with fins instead of feet and scales everywhere. The merpeople hated the finfolk and eventually tension ran so high the two engaged in war. It was relatively even up until the ambush. The merpeople only needed one night to slaughter the remaining finfolk and the last fin priest cursed the waters so they would always be colored red and taste of copper blood to remind the merpeople of their atrocities. Then he died, and he was supposed to be the last of the finfolk. Anyways, you know the rest of the history from there, what with the merpeople splitting into the Quatzlu and the Lopuauk tribes."

 

"Alright, and so what's the issue now?"

 

"Well, Madria said that normally they wouldn't bother with others' territory battles or any battles that don't concern the rebel cause but there's rumors that the Quatzlu and Lopuauk are holding finfolk hostage and trading them to certain leaders of Geahnbane as slaves."

 

"That's bad," was Keiz's lackluster response, and Kuroo immediately bursted out giggling. Gavrin just told Keiz that there was essentially a trafficking ring set up and the people who made the game decided that the absolute best response to this was "that's bad". Too good. Kuroo giggled again. He was feeling all too humored to play more of his story, so he watched the rest of the cutscene, which ended after Gavrin nodded his head in response to Keiz's comment. 

 

Since Kenma wasn't online, and Kuroo didn't especially want to grind or complete the daily quests, he logged off of Fourth World, only then checking his phone to see that Oikawa had messaged him on facebook multiple times, starting at 9:20 a.m. It was now 9:37 a.m. Oops, his sound was off.

 

**Oikawa Tooru:** hey!! :D

**Oikawa Tooru:** hey kuroo!

**Oikawa Tooru:** kuroo.... ? 

**Oikawa Tooru:** you goddamn sneak answer me! D: <  

**Oikawa Tooru:** plz answer me i love you  <3

**Oikawa Tooru:** i need u bb ;o;

**Oikawa Tooru:** fuck you

**Oikawa Tooru:** ugh it says you are online what LIES!!!!!!!

**Oikawa Tooru:** unless....... are you.......... purposefully...... IGNORING ME?!?!?!??!?!!!

**Oikawa Tooru:** i can't take this disrespect omg omg so rude so mean i'm gonna die DX

**Oikawa Tooru:** whERE HAVE YOU BEEN??????????????

**Oikawa Tooru:** i’m gonna cry respond already you loser

**Oikawa Tooru:** ………………. 

**Oikawa Tooru:** ok well msg me back when you’re on

 

Kuroo chuckled. Between each message was an interval of exactly two minutes. Oikawa was so impatient. He read on.

 

**Oikawa Tooru:** you are so mean where are you??? ;n;

**Oikawa Tooru:** you don't even have a life!!!! msg me already? !  >:|

**Oikawa Tooru:** i am soooo upset that you aren't answering you don't even know!!! :( 

 

What a drama queen.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hey

 

Oikawa, not surprisingly, immediately started writing back. 

 

**Oikawa Tooru:** i hate you wehre were you in my time of need???

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** It’s barely been fifteen minutes lol

**Oikawa Tooru:** yeah and i needed you fifteen minutes ago 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** sorry

**Oikawa Tooru:** i don’t believe you’re sorry at all you monster ;o;

**Oikawa Tooru:** i can’t believe you’d ignore your best friend in times of dire need

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** and i can’t believe you know the word “dire”

**Oikawa Tooru:** why are you such a dick 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** pot kettle lol

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** anyways, what’s up?

**Oikawa Tooru:** hmph you probably don’t even want to know  >:|

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i’m not gonna bite. either you tell me what’s up

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** or i log onto my nerd game

**Oikawa Tooru:** ugh i can’t believe you

**Oikawa Tooru:** i. asked. iwa-chan. oUT! !! !! !!

 

Kuroo raised his eyebrows. Oh. What an unexpected development. He grinned. Good for Oikawa.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** !!!!1!!!!! ! !!!!! !!!11!!1!!!!!

**Oikawa Tooru:** RIGHT?!?!??!!!?!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** omg i can’t believe you finally did it

**Oikawa Tooru:** and he said YES!1 1!!!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** are you sure he knows it’s a date

**Oikawa Tooru:** fuck you he knows

**Oikawa Tooru:** i literally was like “i’m gay i’ve been in love with you for ages date me”

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** and it worked???

**Oikawa Tooru:** iwa was like “oh same” and then “that was a shit confession”

**Oikawa Tooru:** and then “ps i knew you were gay like ?? duh?i’ve known you forever??”

**Oikawa Tooru:** anyways we're gonna go get dinner together tonight and then go stargazing

**Oikawa Tooru:** at 7 tonight so i need to go and get dressed and plan stuff out

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** ? it’s not even ten yet oikawa

**Oikawa Tooru:** everything has to be perfect! bye kurochan thanks for listening!  <3

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol good luck  <3

 

Kuroo smiled again. Good for Oikawa. 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** nice

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** i can’t believe he fucking told you

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** of course he told me we’re besties4life!!!!!

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** no, that’s me

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i don’t remember being besties4life!!!!! with you iwaCHAN

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** shut up lol i meant tooru and you knwo it

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** awww you call him tooru

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** shut up

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** what exactly did he tell you

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** that you're both hella gay with those mutual fluttery flies

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** also that you’re letting him take you out at 7 and he’s getting ready now

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** ? it’s almost ten in the morning

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** that's what i said but he said "everything has to be perfect!"

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** all we're doing is getting dinner and looking at stars

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** gotta be special

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** yeah well i want to play volleyball and i'm not waiting the whole day to see him

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** wow it' s almost like you know how to be romantic

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** shut up

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lololol

**Iwaizumi Hajime:** i'm gonna head over to his house. bye

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** bye bye

 

They were only middle schoolers, but Kuroo was sure that if any couple could survive immaturity and the transition from middle to high school, it would be Oikawa and Iwaizumi. He wished them the best of luck. If only he could be so lucky.

 

A little 'shwoop' noise alerted him to another facebook message, this time from Bokuto. Oh right, they were hanging out today.

 

**Bokuto Koutarou:** so i think i'm gonna be a lil erly

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** how early

**Bokuto Koutarou:** i'm like 20 mins away

 

They were meeting at 12. Kuroo looked at his clock. 9:40 a.m. Dammit.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** and you expect me to get there early too?

**Bokuto Koutarou:** u don't wnt to see ur bestest best friend a lil early??? ?!

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** fine fine i'll get ready

**Bokuto Koutarou:** see ya soon  <#

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** lol yea  <3 ttys 

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hey kenma cna't remember if i told you but i'm gonna hang out with a friend today

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** i'll be on tonight tho probably

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hope you have a good day :) 

 

Kuroo groaned and then went to get ready and soon enough he was arriving at the ramen shop they had agreed to meet at. It didn't take long for him to spot the silver-haired boy, who was gesticulating wildly at Kuroo while also trying to hastily shovel noodles into his mouth. The brunette chuckled and headed over.

 

"You already ordered a bowl?" Kuroo greeted his friend, sitting down. 

 

"I was hungry, I didn't eat breakfast!" Bokuto managed to get out between bites. In under a couple of minutes the bowl was empty save a few spoonfuls of broth. Bokuto gulped that down as well. "I'm gonna get my second bowl. You can wait here and save our spot. What do you want?"

 

"Just get me a pork," Kuroo told him, pulling out a couple of bills to pay for it. Bokuto nodded excitedly and bounced off to get them food, leaving Kuroo to look around. It was busy. Crowded. Lots of people. A couple in the back, laughing together. Two old men in the corner, talking about something with eyes crinkled in good humor. A family of four all hastily eating their ramen. The noodle shop was warm and smelled of savory soup and Kuroo felt the atmosphere wrap around him like a warm embrace. 

 

It was difficult not to think of his parents, school, volleyball, and everything else that bothered him. He should have gone to get the ramen. At least then he could have focused on something instead of all of his shallow worries and stress.

 

"You look like you really needed the extra meat," Bokuto said, setting down their bowls. Both looked heavy and rich, filled to the brim with noodles, meat, and vegetables and the smell hit Kuroo like a punch to the stomach.

 

"Tho what's- mmf," Bokuto started to say, trying to talk through mouthfuls of food. Kuroo rolled his eyes.

 

"Eat first, talk later."

 

"So, what's up?" Bokuto finally said after he had swallowed his last bite. Kuroo thought about what to say. His parents were arguing a ton and he felt stupid and like a wimp for letting it affect him? He had been struggling with school recently and felt like an idiot because of it? He was afraid he was going to fail tests and not get accepted into the high school he wanted? He was afraid of transitioning into high school because he was at the top of his game right now in middle school and it was probably all going to go to hell once the year ended?

 

"Not much," Kuroo settled on. "How about you?"

 

"Aw, c'mon, that's a lame answer. I thought we were past this stuff, bro. Tell Brokuto everything that's going on in your life," Bokuto pouted, holding out his hands in a beckoning motion.

 

Kuroo sighed. For as dumb as he acted sometimes, Bokuto had his moments. They'd been friends long enough where they could tell something was up with each other. The silver-haired boy probably had been able to tell the minute he had seen him.

 

"Well, just not really looking forward to high school all that much," Kuroo decided to admit. 

 

"What? Dude, why not? Volleyball is going to be so much more fun!" Bokuto enthusiastically protested. Kuroo smiled. That was so Bokuto.

 

"I guess you're right. But we're going to have to deal with upperclassmen," Kuroo pointed out.

 

"Yeah, but if they're good then we can learn all sorts of cool stuff from them. And it's only gonna be like two or three years before we're captains," Bokuto said confidently. Kuroo chuckled. All Bokuto thought about was volleyball. Still, the mindless chatter was lifting his spirits up considerably, which was good. It wouldn't do at all for him to feel down when hanging out with a friend. He was lame, but he was going to try not to be that lame. 

 

"Yeah, you're right," Kuroo gave in. "What's up with you lately?" 

 

"Well... Actually," Bokuto paused, looked downwards, and then mumbled something. Kuroo rose his eyebrow. Bokuto was blushing. 

 

"Ohoho?" Kuroo waggled his eyebrows. "Is this about hallway boy stalkee extraordinaire?"

 

"I don't stalk him," Bokuto pouted. '

 

"You do."

 

"Ok, a little. But I found out his name!" Bokuto burst out. Kuroo was impressed his friend hadn't immediately sprung this news earlier.

 

"And?"

 

"It's Akaashi. Akaashi Keiji. Isn't that an awesome name? He's so awesome," Bokuto sighed dreamily. 

 

"And how did you find it out? Did you talk to him? A proper conversation?" Kuroo asked, encouraging his friend. They were total schoolgirls. Such schoolgirls. 

 

"Yeah! I saw him tossing a volleyball up and down and walked over to introduce myself and ask if he played volleyball and he told me how he was planning to join the team! He's gonna be on my team!"

 

"Bo, you uh, you know that we're gonna be in high school next year, right? He's younger than you, right?"

 

And all at once, Bokuto's shoulders slumped and the happy little shine slowly disappeared from his eyes as he despondedly muttered, "Oh yeah."

 

Kuroo immediately felt bad for being the one to pop the cheery bubble of his best friend and tried to cheer him up.

 

"But you've made good progress. You should offer to practice with him, maybe you'll be able to convince him to choose whatever high school you're going to!" Kuroo suggested and Bokuto instantly brightened up. God, he was so easy.

 

"Yeah! You're right! That's what I'll do!" Bokuto exclaimed and the two grinned at each other. A comfortable silence ensued for a couple of seconds before Bokuto tried to slyly ask, "And what about you?"

 

"What about me what?"

 

"What about peachpi?" 

 

"It's applepi."

 

"Same difference, they're both fruits. How's it coming with him?" Bokuto's eyes sparkled. The great thing about Bokuto was that he really was interested in everything anyone had to say, especially what his best friend had to say. Bokuto was that friend who hung onto his every word just because he was a genuinely good guy who was interested in his life. When Kuroo hung out with Bokuto, he didn't ever feel like a burden. The downside of this was that Bokuto was extremely, extremely curious and overly interested in Kuroo's love life. Just thinking of Kenma made him feel warm and disgustingly fuzzy all over. Remembering last night even brought on a blush.

 

"Uh, you know," Kuroo chuckled, embarrassed. "I think we're good. Or, he's good, I mean."

 

"Dude, that's good!"

 

"Yeah, it is, bro," Kuroo's smile grew a little softer, remembering Kenma talking to him and helping him and just everything that his online friend did.

 

"So, you guys dating?" Bokuto asked. 

 

"Uh, no, nah."

 

"But you want to, right?" 

 

"Yeah. Of course. But it's complicated," Kuroo answered, pausing between words as he thought about it. He had thought about it quite a bit, but it was still hard to really voice what he felt. 

 

"How so? You like him, he likes you, right?"

 

"I mean, I'm pretty sure he likes me. And yeah, I like him. But I really like him, you know? And right now life is kind of hectic. And we only talk online. We've never met in person. He could live super far away and long distance relationships almost never work out. And on top of that, we're middle schoolers. I mean, sure, we're about to be high schoolers but still we're super young. Almost nobody survives a relationship that starts in high school, and if they do then the couple starts dating later in high school, you know? I really like Kenma and he's become a really good friend of mine and if we get into a relationship and it fails then it'd be super awkward and I'd probably lose him," Kuroo explained quickly, letting his head fall on the table after he finished.

 

"That sucks, bro," Bokuto frowned sympathetically and Kuroo let out a small groan.

 

"Yeah, I know."

 

"But, you know, you can't just like... Give up like that."

 

"I'm not giving up. I'm just saying not now probably."

 

"Yeah, but eventually you're gonna want to, right? You should just go for it now and try your best to make it work! Because dude, he could be the one! You don't want to waste years just because you're worried it might not work. If you wait for years then it might not work then! There's always a risk, you have to try!" Bokuto passionately told the black-haired boy. Kuroo groaned again.

 

"I know. You're right."

 

"Then do it!"

 

"I know. I know. I'm just scared, y'know?" Kuroo admitted, closing his eyes. The table understood him. The table loved him. 

 

"Yeah, I know. But love is scary!" 

 

"I don't even know if it's love. What even is love? We're middle schoolers!" Kuroo argued. 

 

"You keep saying we're middle schoolers, but we're almost high schoolers. And I know, that's not a big change and yeah we're not like, super mature yet and we don't know a lot and we're young and inexperienced so don't say anything. Just hear me out. We're probably always going to be a little immature. My aunt told me that nobody actually ever knows what they're doing anyways. And so what if we're young and stupid? That doesn't mean that whatever we're feeling is wrong or stupid or not worth it. If our feelings didn't matter anything now, then they never would and what would the point in being human be if that was so?" Bokuto declared loudly. So loudly, in fact, that other patrons in the shop were subtly glancing at their table. Kuroo sighed, chuckled, then sighed again. He lifted his head up.

 

"When did you get so deep? I thought I was supposed to be the mature one in this relationship," Kuroo fondly asked. 

 

"If you were the mature one at all, then you would have known everything I just said was true and you'd go after what you wanted," Bokuto huffed. 

 

"I know what you're saying, and I agree. I just think I need some time to think about it."

 

"Yeah, ok. Well, you've heard my take on it. I won't bug you about it anymore. You want to go toss a volleyball around at the park?" 

 

"Yeah, definitely," Kuroo answered appreciatively and the two got up to leave for the park, spending the rest of the day just goofing around. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I want you guys to know that a lot of Kuroo's thoughts and reactions and that sort of shit is mostly from my own personal experience and I want you all to know that sometimes what Kuroo (in my story, that is) thinks or says is complete and utter bullshit.
> 
> This is cheesy and corny as fuck and I hope you don't think I sound fake or whatever but I am dead serious when I say that I am always here (either on ao3 or tumblr) to talk if you need help. If you're depressed, overly anxious, sad, guilty, embarrassed, ashamed- anything at all, I am always free to talk to you. I know I say it a lot but I don't want a single person to feel like they don't have someone to talk to. You don't even have to do the talking if you don't want to. I am here. If you want to rant or get something off your chest, I'm here to hear it. If you want advice, I'm here to try my best. If you want someone else to take your mind off of whatever shit you're dealing with, then I'm here too. I love you guys <3 Stay safe, stay sane.


	15. Chapter 15

“We’re getting a divorce.”

 

What?

 

Kuroo wasn’t sure he had heard correctly. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Divorce? Was that what his mother had said?

 

His mother and father were divorcing?

 

He hadn’t seen this coming. He hadn’t. He really, really should have. How had he not seen this coming? It was so obvious. It was so obvious.

 

He knew it had been bad. He knew it had been getting worse. He knew. 

 

Still. 

 

He hadn’t seen this coming. 

 

“Tetsurou?” Asuka asked.

 

His parents were sitting next to each other. They looked so stiff. So awkward. They weren’t looking at each other. They weren’t even looking at him. Not really. Did they hate each other? Why were they getting a divorce? Who brought it up? Was it mutual? Were they happy with their decision? Had it been that bad?

 

Had it been that bad?

 

Say something, Kuroo. Say something. Anything.

 

“I was wondering why we were going out to dinner tonight,” Kuroo finally said, pasting on a smile. It wasn’t wobbly. Kuroo congratulated himself. 

 

“I’m sorry, Tetsurou,” Asuka said, reaching out a hand. Kuroo watched as it settled on top of his. He didn’t move. He couldn’t if he wanted to. His body felt like lead.

 

Respond, Kuroo. Now you have to respond. 

 

“I’m alright. If this is what the two of you have decided, I support you both,” Kuroo kept smiling. 

 

Smile. 

 

Everything’s fine. Everything’s cool.

 

“Are you sure you’re alright, honey?” Asuka asked.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m totally fine. I just want you two to be happy,” Kuroo answered. He wasn’t alright. He wasn’t. Not in the slightest. 

 

It didn’t matter.

 

Be the good son. Be the good son.

 

“You’re a good son, Tetsurou,” Eiji said.

 

He was a good son.

 

Silence.

 

Kuroo shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with the silence but unwilling to try and break it. His parents looked equally unsettled. Luckily, it was only a couple of minutes of that before the server came with their food. 

 

The server, blissfully unaware of the tension holding the table, laid down each dish, describing as she went along. 

 

Kuroo looked on, impressed, as she set down miso soup with mussels, fugu sashimi, tofu with crab sauce, and miso glazed black cod with sautéed broccoli, and chirashi sushi. Everything smelled delicious and every dish was expensive and high quality. Even with such delicacies placed in front of him, Kuroo still felt like his chest was constricted. 

 

This was an awful way to tell him.

 

It had started that morning.

 

He had woken up feeling refreshed and relaxed. The sun had been shining and the sky was a beautiful blue dotted with white, fluffy clouds. It had been the perfect morning.

 

Kuroo had stretched, dressed, and then gone down for breakfast where his mother had already prepared eggs, toast, and soup for the two of them. His father was away at work.

 

“Tetsurou, we’re going out to supper tonight,” Asuka had told him, booking no room for argument.

 

Kuroo had been surprised.

 

Their family went out to dinner seldomly. His mother loved to cook, though, and there was no shortage of wonderful, tasty, and affordable resources for her to use. Her cooking was just as, if not better than most restaurants. Restaurant trips were reserved for graduations, promotions, birthdays, and volleyball wins.

 

So why were they going to a restaurant? What were they celebrating? Did his father get another raise or promotion? Did his mother become an international supermodel? 

 

Kuroo had asked himself those questions and then let the whole matter pass through his head. He had gone for a run and then jumped on his computer, where he played Fourth World with Kenma and messaged Oikawa and Bokuto respectively. After a couple of hours of grinding it out and completing quests, Kuroo had picked up his books to study. Then he had showered and joined his parents to leave for dinner. 

 

And now his parents were divorcing.

 

Who was moving out? Did they hate each other? Were they both moving to different places? Did they hate him? Who would he move with? Was it his fault? How would his mother be able to live without his father’s money? What could he have done differently?

 

All of the delicious food felt like glue clogging up his throat. Kuroo choked down bite after bite and watched as his parents seemingly did the same.

 

It was so quiet.

 

“Do you have any questions you’d like to ask, son?” Eiji asked.

 

Kuroo jolted. What was there to ask? What could he ask? Would he upset his parents by certain questions?

 

“Yes, you must have many worries,” Asuka added.

 

“Don’t be afraid to ask whatever is on your mind,” Eiji said.

 

Kuroo was afraid.

 

“Who will I live with?” Kuroo tried not to let his voice tremble. He succeeded. 

 

“Well, on paper we’ll still live together. We won’t be officially divorcing for a while. Right now we’re just,” Eiji paused before continuing, “separating.”

 

“I can’t speak for Eiji, but I still love your father very much and we love you,” Asuka chimed in. “Nothing extreme is changing.”

 

“I feel the same way. We just thought it’d be best for you to know,” Eiji added, nodding. 

 

Then why would they tell him they’re divorcing? What was the point of this? Had they tried marriage counseling? Had they talked about other possibilities? If they still loved each other, then why were they doing this? 

 

Kuroo remembered a year or two back. 

 

The three of them were in America. There had been a festival. They had gone at night and small, shimmering Christmas lights were draped along every booth on the road, creating hazy, overlapping circles. His parents had been holding hands and laughing. His mother had looked beautiful, with the dim light casting a halo around her as she smiled at his father. He remembered the buzz of background noise, of fun and joy and excitement.

 

He remembered corn dogs and other fattening, festival foods. The sizzle of frying, the footsteps of small children, the low hum of music from some unknown band far off in the distance. He remembered simple games and stuffed animals. Picnic tables and twinkling stars and then humongous explosions of rainbow lights in the night sky.

 

Kuroo had worn a white shirt and jeans and his father had bought his mother a lovely dress which she had worn that night. It was the color of sunset, with small straps and a flowy skirt made of some material he probably didn’t know the name of. She had looked so young and his parents had all but ignored Kuroo to go and frolic by themselves. 

 

At the time, Kuroo had thought they were in their own little world and he could remember thinking that that was what love looked like.

 

Now he looked at his parents.    
  


There was no laughter.

 

No sunset dress.

 

His mother wore a navy blue blouse that looked stiff and overly formal paired with a long skirt that was equally rigid. Her face was set with sympathetic lines and exhaustion. Were those bags under her eyes?

 

His father looked equally as tired and haggard. He wore a suit, like he had never changed out of his work clothes. He probably hadn’t. 

Kuroo looked down at himself. Black shirt.

 

Fitting.

 

“Well, that’s all we have to say,” Asuka said, breaking the silence. Kuroo realized he hadn’t said anything, he was so caught up in memories. His father nodded solemnly and then picked up his chopsticks to pick at his cod. His mother followed suit, gracefully eating her mussels. 

 

Kuroo didn’t know if he was supposed to say anything or not. What was there to say?

 

He picked up his chopsticks. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter has been like a year in coming and it's so short.
> 
> My parents got divorced earlier this year and so it's been a little difficult to actually write that. It's funny isn't it, how I was writing this and then they went and got themselves divorced. I just foreshadowed my own life.
> 
> Don't worry about me, I'm not broken up about it and I've had a lot of time to deal with my feelings and all that.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, hey everyone! Sorry for the super long delay. There was a concussion, and some fires, and some emotional shit and it's just been a long time. I've started writing again though and I'm going to continue my stories. Sorry it's a short chapter, but I'm still getting into the swing of things. I hope it's ok, I really do. I hope you guys like it.

Kuroo woke up. He looked at the clock. Five o’clock. Morning. It was still dark out. The moon shone in. Kuroo lifted his hand. The moonlight hit it.

 

He was cold.

 

Kuroo blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. And a fourth time. He blinked and he blinked and he blinked and there was no stopping the tears that swelled past his eyelids and drenched his eyelashes. He kept blinking and he kept crying. Kuroo took in a deep breath.

 

Stupid. So stupid.

 

Why was he crying?

 

He should have seen it coming. He saw it coming. He did. He didn’t. He should have. He didn’t. He felt it coming. He did. No, he didn’t. Why couldn’t he see it coming? Did he see it coming? Did he know all along? Fuck. Fuck.

 

Kuroo took in a shaky breath, slowly sitting up. He turned himself and swung his legs over the side of his bed. His feet kissed the carpet and the carpet bit back. He couldn’t bring himself to step down. The floor was lava and his body was ice. 

 

5:04 a.m. 

 

Kuroo stared blankly at his wall. Unmoving.

 

5:05 a.m.

 

He should move.

 

5:06 a.m.

 

Really.

 

5:07 a.m.

 

Minute after minute passed and Kuroo continued to tell himself to move. He told himself he needed to. If he moved, everything would be fine. Everything was normal if he moved. If he moved, that meant that he had control over his body. That meant he had control. If he could just move, he would be alright. He would be alright. Just move. Please. Move.

 

Kuroo’s face was wet and damp and he cursed himself. He was so weak. He was so young and so helpless and so powerless and so, so weak. What could he do to stop this? To stop feeling like this? He just wanted it over. He wanted to not care. He didn’t care. He didn’t.

 

All that mattered was that they were happy. If they were happy with their decision, he was too. He was happy. He supported them. He was happy. He supported them. He was happy. He wasn’t happy. He would be. He’d be ok. 

 

Kuroo would support them and Kuroo would be happy. 

 

But he wasn’t.

 

Not now.

 

And with that, Kuroo propelled himself to a standing position. He wasn’t happy now, but he never would be if he kept moping like this. He’d be ok. He would.

 

Kuroo turned his computer on and winced as the bright colors of his desktop wallpaper assaulted his eyes. It was a scene from Fourth World. It was a painting of his favorite city, filled with crimson reds, sunset oranges, forest greens, sea blues, and every which color someone could possibly think of. It was beauty and excitement and city life and medieval times and magic all wrapped into one stunning image. It was the definition of the phrase “a picture’s worth a thousand words”. There were rough paint strokes that defined busy people along the streets and broad splashes for large buildings. There were canopies and merchants and flags. It was so alive. Looking at it, Kuroo felt more alive too. 

 

He opened Skype. Of course, Kenma wasn’t online. Nobody was. It was early. It was a weekend.

 

He messaged him anyways.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** hey

 

No reply.

 

Obviously.

 

Kuroo stared at his screen, willing his friend to get on. He was restless and he just wished that his friend would come online and distract him.

 

He waited for six hours. Six hours of blank staring. He didn’t open up Fourth World or any game for that matter. He didn't work on homework, he didn’t watch any videos. He did nothing. Kuroo did absolutely nothing. 

 

**applepi:** …….what were you doing at 5 am?

 

Kuroo breathed in and laughed. Finally.

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou:** you know, being responsible. learning how to wake up early and getting on a good sleep schedule :p

 

Kuroo had gone to sleep at one in the morning, too lost in his thoughts over the not-divorce divorce his parents had sprung on him. 

 

**applepi:** ……. right……. 

**applepi:** for some reason i’m having a hard time believing you…. 

 

Kuroo quirked a smile and looked down at himself self deprecatingly. Really, he was too easy to see through. So pathetic. He probably did it subconsciously. He was so weak he probably was crying out subconsciously for some attention. He was awful. He wanted attention, he did. He didn’t. He didn’t want to say it. God, he was really weak.

 

**applepi:** are you

**applepi:** are you ok? 

 

Kuroo shook his head mutely. No, he wasn’t. Not really. Not at all, actually. Not in the slightest. Not not not. Not. Not ok. 

 

**applepi is calling you…**

 

Kuroo clicked accept.

 

“Uh,” the voice on the other end started eloquently. “Mm, uh, hey.”

 

“Hi,” Kuroo hoarsely whispered back.

 

“Are you- How are- What happened?” Kenma finally settled on, hesitation coloring his voice. 

 

“I don’t know,” Kuroo responded. His voice felt heavy, the words thick in his mouth. He felt like he was choking. 

 

“Ok, Kuro. You’re ok,” Kenma said with as reassuring a tone as he could manage. Kuroo felt reassured. 

 

“I like it when you call me Kuro,” Kuroo just said in response. He smiled. It was nice. Really.

 

“Are you drunk or something?” 

 

“I’m pretty fucked up.”

 

“Kuro, what’s going on?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Kuro,” Kenma pleaded.

 

“Kenma,” Kuroo responded.

 

Silence.

 

Kuroo shifted uncomfortably. Nobody said anything. Kuroo didn’t know what to say. Everything was uncomfortable. He should get a new chair. Really, this one was no good. Maybe a new screen too. Once he was in high school, he would look for a job. He would. That’d be a good idea, especially if his parents decide to separate for real. Then he can help with bills with whoever he lives with.

 

He’d probably live with his mom. He did mostly anyways. His father was never home. That was why they divorced after all. That’s why. Not that they were divorcing. A fake divorce. Fake fake fake. The not-divorce divorce. How stupid. Stupid. 

 

“Kuro!” Kenma’s voice thudded through his head. What? 

 

“Kenma,” Kuroo said agreeably. 

 

“Kuro, you’re freaking me out. I’m worried. What’s going on? You’re spacey even for you,” Kenma scolded. Kuroo smiled. Kenma was really worried about him. That was nice. Really nice.

 

“Mm,” Kuroo hummed. 

 

“Kuro,” Kenma said. His voice held command in it.

 

“Kuro,” Kenma said again. “Tell me.”

 

“My parents are divorcing,” Kuroo finally admitted, voice dropping off at the end. It wasn’t a big deal. He wasn’t making it a big deal. He was fine with it. Everything was good. Be casual. 

 

“Kuro,” Kenma said, softer than the other times. Kuroo blinked. Blinked again.

 

“Kenma,” Kuroo responded. He meant it to be funny, really, he did. He meant it to be light and strong and confident and him. His voice shook.

 

Blink. Blink. Blink.

 

“Kuro, I’m- I’m so sorry. Kuro, are you ok? I’m here, are you ok? Kuro,” Kenma asked.

 

“No, no. I’m not alright. I’m not. I’m not alright,” Kuroo answered honestly, closing his eyes as a final stand against the tears that threatened to overspill. Really, he thought he was over the crying thing. He had already shed tears for this. “This is dumb. So dumb.”

 

“It’s not dumb, it’s not,” Kenma insisted. Kuroo just shook his head.

 

“Kuro, listen to me, it’s not dumb. None of this is dumb. You’re allowed to feel sad about this. You’re allowed to feel upset. You’re allowed. I’m so sorry, Kuro. I’m so sorry. This sucks, it does. It sucks, Kuro, you’re going to be ok. You can feel upset. It’s not dumb, it’s not. I don’t know what to say,” Kenma said, a rush of words.

 

“No, no, it’s dumb, it’s so dumb,” Kuroo was sniffling now. Terrible.

 

“It’s not dumb,” Kenma countered.

 

“It is, it is,” Kuroo felt like a broken record. 

 

“Kuro,” Kenma just repeated, voice even more soft and gentle. Impossibly soft and gentle. “Kuroo, you’re going to be ok. Kuroo, listen to me. Listen to me. Kuro, listen. You’ll be ok.” 

 

And Kuroo listened. And Kuroo was ok. 

  
  
  
  



	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo sorry it takes me so long to update. I'd love to have an excuse but the honest thing is that I'm just real lazy. I've been doing well lately and my mental health is way better and so is my physical health.

“Did you get the drops?” Kenma asked. Kuroo brought up his inventory to check that yes, he did in fact collect the drops.

 

“Yep. Here, I’ll drop the star resin and the black pine saplings for you. Did you want the seeds too?” 

 

“No, just the resin and the saplings. The seeds are almost worthless unless you plan to craft with them. They’re hardly worth even coppers on the trading post.”

 

“You know what they say. One hundred coppers turns into a silver. And a hundred silvers turns into a gold. And a hundred gold is a lot of moolah.”

 

“Congratulations, you remembered the basic exchange rates.”

 

“Why thank you. I try,” Kuroo said, fluttering his eyelashes even though Kenma couldn’t see him. He grinned before tacking on, “Kenma, I want you to know that I’m batting my eyelashes at you. They’re long and thick, just like something else, and I look incredibly seductive.” 

 

“Please. Stop speaking,” Kenma replied in his most monotone voice, the one that Kuroo had come to know as his I-am-being-sarcastic-and-saying-this-purely-for-the-humor voice. Sure it was a long title, but Kenma’s many nuances had to be documented properly. 

 

“As you wish, princess,” Kuroo mimed zipping his lips, making sure to make a zipper noise so Kenma could imagine the action.

 

“Hmm, I just need the base item now. We need to go to West Harzeardth,” Kenma said, breaking the silence after a minute or two of grinding the low level monsters around them. 

 

“Ugh, the PvP area? I hate that place. It’s swarmed with scummy campers,” Kuroo groaned. In the early days of playing he had tried to go into the area for a daily quest without knowing that it was PvP oriented. He had been low level as well as a defense oriented warrior. Needless to say, it was a bit of a slaughter. The first time he died was to a high level mage and then the second was to the high level mage’s pet. Upon respawn he had tried to sneak in and had managed with a fair bit of success until he got completely decimated by an assassin type. Kuroo hadn’t even known there were assassin types until that moment. 

 

“We work well as a team and the players that camp there are mostly solos anyways. We’re wearing obviously high level armor and it’s obvious what our character dynamic is. They won’t go for us,” Kenma explained. Kuroo felt a jolt at the first part of his sentence, though it was hardly the first time that Kenma had said such things. And really, he was just telling the truth. They did work well together. Kuroo had no business letting himself smile so giddily over a single offhand sentence. 

 

“Well, if they do go for us, I’ll protect you,” Kuroo declared, injecting as much charm as he could into his voice. It wasn’t much. His eighth grade suaveness left a little to be desired.

 

“Well, yeah. That’s how we work. You protect me, and I kill them.”

 

“Oh, that’s hot. Say it again, but slower.”

 

“No.”

 

“Spoilsport.”

 

“Pervert.”

 

Kuroo grinned. Everything was back to normal.

 

The two traipsed into West Harzeardth, sneaking around dark buildings with only the light of the bright neon signs and the magical lines of blue and white guiding them. There were players everywhere. For the most part, they managed to solidly avoid any and all that were fighting, though at one point they did come close. 

 

West Harzeardth was a strange, strange area. 

 

Fourth World had its official trading post which all players used. It worked as most in game trading posts and also offered items one could buy with real money. Fourth World also had the underworld and black market aspect though. Kuroo wasn’t sure what other MMORPGs or games in general had a thriving black market, but somehow Fourth World managed to do it. 

 

The black market could only be accessed by several run down ATMs in the basement of a dingy club that required knowledge of the area, parkour, and a high enough level to get in. 

 

That was harder than it sounded, because Fourth World had no official pages that even mentioned the black market. To be honest, Kuroo didn’t even believe it existed for a long time since he couldn’t find any official references online to it. It was rumored that the Fourth World staff even went online to try and delete the unofficial rumors and references. The location was really only known through word of mouth or by stalking someone who went there.

 

Once in, the player could use the ATMs to propose trades with other players, auction off items, and bid for items. However, the trades didn’t have to be completely monetary or even item based. Players could auction off grinding time, votes, pets, and even items that were so called untradeable on the black market. The only things forbidden were, of course, personal real life information.

 

It got more interesting though. The trade relied solely on both parties saying they were satisfied with the proposed exchange, however there was no consequence for lack of follow through. The black market even allowed players to change the names of their items and there were even certain, incredibly high level and expensive mesmers that could temporarily change the appearance of an item. This meant that sometimes, people lied about what they were trading. That was the risk of the black market. 

 

The only way to test if someone was trustworthy or not was their “previously traded with” section, where one could see the last five people the player traded with. It was an interesting system that was made to purposefully be taken advantage of and many players got screwed out of their time and money using it. 

 

And since it was a PvP area, deals were almost always made with characters ready to battle at any second. On top of that, many would call their friends to hang around for deals in case it went south or even to intimidate the other player. This led to the formation of many gangs and gang battles around West Harzeardth. Word was that Fourth World planned on adding another PvP oriented area where people could claim large buildings for what they officially called guilds, but everyone knew really meant gangs.

 

Anyways, West Harzeardth was a dangerous, strange place and the black market even moreso. Kuroo hoped to avoid going there. 

 

“So what are we looking for?” Kuroo asked as he moved through an alleyway. 

 

“I want the celestial staff of eternal night.”

 

“Wow, that sounds not edgy at all.” 

 

“Call it what you want, it has some of the highest base stats in the game right now. At least for our level bracket anyways, and the next ten for that matter.”

 

“And?” Kuroo prompted. There had to be more. West Harzeardth was a pain in the ass to navigate since it was so dark as well as the bloodthirsty players and even the terrain was rough. Some of the buildings were run down and there was rubble everywhere that provided obstacles to either parkour over or under or to force players to reroute around. 

 

“And it looks cool,” Kenma grumbled. Kuroo made an aha noise. Honestly, what was with games making their edgiest weapons the coolest? He wanted a happy warm fuzzy themed weapon that was also sick to look at.

 

“I knew it. You’re a sucker for cosmetics,” Kuroo crowed triumphantly. 

 

“You are too.”

 

“Never said I wasn’t. Where is it?”

 

“Some guy is offering it on the black market.”

 

Kuroo groaned.

 

“It’s the only way to get it. It was one of the special event items from last week that cost real money. I’ve already checked the trading post and nobody’s put one up,” Kenma continued on to say, ignoring Kuroo’s audible distress.  

 

“We’re going to die. Multiple times. You know that, right?”

 

“I thought you were going to protect me.”

 

“Don’t get sassy with me, it doesn’t suit you.” 

 

“Sure it does. You think it’s hilarious and adorable.” 

 

“I love that you can see right through me like that.”

 

“Enough flirting, we’re almost to the black market. We just need to go into that shop over there and then parkour up to the entrance.”

 

Kuroo grimaced again. He had gotten caught up in their cutesy banter and had almost forgotten about what they were doing. Kenma referred to it as flirting! Kuroo could probably die happy right then and there. To be honest, he probably was going to die soon. In game, that is.

 

“Have you been here before?” Kuroo asked, trying to quell the horrific side effects of his crush by focusing on the task at hand.

 

“I’m level 204, Kuro.”

 

“Well, I’m level 200 and I haven’t been here.”

 

“That’s because you’re a scaredy-cat.”

 

“Your scaredy-cat. Meow.”

 

“Sorry, I’m not into furries,” Kenma replied, deadpan as always. Kuroo cracked up, laughing loudly into the mic to Kenma’s weak protests. 

 

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll focus,” Kuroo finally said after he calmed down. Kenma had been impatiently waiting for him on the aforementioned ledge. Kuroo easily got Keiz up there and followed Kenma’s elf through the parkour on the building. He only fell four times, which he definitely counted as a success.

 

“Wow, you suck,” Kenma mercilessly told him.

 

“Yeah, dick,” Kuroo easily shot back. Hey, he was a teenage boy.

 

“You’re so gross.”

 

“You love it.”

 

“I’m not going to dignify that with a response. Are you ready to go in or what?” 

 

“You know, I can see an avoidance tactic when I see one.”

 

Kenma huffed out a laugh and Kuroo clenched his fist in victory. 

 

“Ok, whatever. Now hurry up.” 

 

The two stealthily entered the room, looking for any crouched players waiting to ambush them. Luckily it seemed no one was currently in the room and Kenma was able to start one of the ATMs while Kuroo kept watch. 

 

“Ok, I put in my bid. We can go now,” Kenma finally said after a few tense moments.

 

“Wait, that’s it?”

 

“Yeah, what’d you think would happen?”

 

“I don’t know. More violence and action or some shady deals or something. Kind of disappointing to be honest,” Kuroo admitted, eliciting a small chuckle from Kenma.

 

“So, what now? More grinding?” Kuroo asked. 

 

“No. I’m being forced to come down for dinner,” Kenma grumbled.

 

“Eating’s good for you. Eat a lot. Grow up and become a healthy lil bean sprout,” Kuroo teased him.

 

“You grow up,” was Kenma’s grumpy response.

 

“Already pretty tall, but I appreciate the sentiment. I’m glad you’re looking out for me and you support me.”

 

“You’re so annoying.”

 

“You like it.”

 

Silence.

 

Kuroo bit his tongue. It hadn’t felt so awkward the first time he said that sort of thing. They’d said exponentially more flirtatious things in the past. Or, at least Kuroo had. Did Kenma flirt back with him? Ever? He couldn’t remember. Kenma liked him, right? He had been pretty sure.

 

Why was Kenma taking so long to say something? How long had it been? Seconds? Minutes? Kuroo felt like he had been sitting there for eons. Kenma, say something.

 

Say something. Please. Anything. Just a few words. What was Kenma thinking? Why were crushes so hard? Crushes sucked. They did. Kuroo hated crushes. God, he had a crush on Kenma. He did, he really did. So stupid. Crushes sucked.

 

What did Kenma think of him? What if Kuroo had misinterpreted all of their flirting as just really open minded broship? What if Kuroo was just this creepy internet guy? He didn’t even know what Kenma looked like. Kenma didn’t know what he looked like.

 

Kuroo breathed faster. It was getting harder to take in air. He pressed his hand against his chest and felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest.

 

“Kuro, calm down. I can hear you thinking from over here. Yes, I like it. I  I like you.” 

 

And then Kuroo felt his heart stop and blood run to his head. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter! As always, I appreciate everyone who reads this and keeps up with it even through my real sparse updates. Don't worry, someday this fic will be finished and completed and there will be no more waiting on me.
> 
> Follow and msg me at eevaeon.tumblr.com!! I'm always happy to chat :) 
> 
> P.S. I hate the fucking title of this fic like Jesus I spent absolutely zero time thinking of one and boy do I regret it now.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading so far <3 I love you all so much, thanks for reading and commenting and being such dears ;u;
> 
> I've said it a million times before but I love comments and I also love talking. You can find me on tumblr as eevaeon: http://eevaeon.tumblr.com/ where I post my drawings and reblog a ton of weeb shit and writings and updates on my fics
> 
> Seriously, if anybody ever needs somebody to talk to or at or be talked to from (does that make sense) then just shoot me a message. 
> 
> You all have been so incredibly sweet and supportive, thank you so much. Every comment and kudos and bookmark I receive is just so motivating and encouraging. I hope I continue to please with every chapter <3


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